THE STORY BEHIND: Beethoven's Romance No.1

Title: Romance No.1, op.40, in G major

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Last time performed by the Rhode Island Philharmonic: This is a RI Philharmonic Orchestra premiere. This piece is scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns and strings.

The Story: By 1802, when Beethoven’s first Romance was completed, we find ourselves transitioning firmly into the Romantic Era. But it was also a low point of Beethoven’s personal life, as he grappled with the reality of his increasing and permanent deafness. But the two Romances for violin, written shortly after studying composition with none other than Haydn himself, reveal a young master searching for his own unique voice. Traditionally, a Romance was an instrumental work in a slow duple meter that featured a song-like melody line. Beethoven expands the idea into a work for orchestra and solo violin and structures it as a rondo, where a returning main theme is balanced by intervening contrasting sections. Things become increasingly interesting as both soloist and orchestra pass melodies back and forth, adding ever more contrasting rhythms and elaborate ornamentations as they do.

Program Notes by Jamie Allen © 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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