Concerto funèbre

Concerto funèbre (Funereal Concerto) is a violin concerto by the German composer Karl Amadeus Hartmann. Written in 1939 and substantially revised in 1959, it is by far Hartmann's best known work, especially noted for its lyrical final movement. It is scored for string orchestra only.

Unlike many of his works, which were substantially reworked on an ongoing process, the Concerto funebre was completed in a relatively short timespan, principally in autumn 1939. Originally entitled Musik der Trauer (Music of Mourning) it was retitled in 1959.^[1] It is cast in four movements:

1. Introduktion. Largo
   
2. Adagio
   
3. Allegro di molto
   
4. Choral. Langsamer Marsch
   

Hartmann said in a letter to the conductor Hermann Scherchen that the structure was designed to reflect

The intellectual and spiritual hopelessness of the period... contrasted with an expression of hope in the two chorales in the beginning and at the end. The opening Chorale is sustained for the most part by the solo voice... The second Chorale at the end has the character of a slow march with a song-like melody.^[2]

It was premiered at St. Gallen, Switzerland on 29 February 1940 by the St. Gallen Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Ernst Klug; the soloist was the violinist Karl Neracher.^[3] Hartmann's (minimal) revision was first performed at Braunschweig on 12 November 1959. The soloist at that performance was Wolfgang Schneiderhan, one of the work's strongest advocates.

The piece bears a dedication to Hartmann's son, Richard.

References

1. ^ Rickards, Guy (1995) Hindemith, Hartmann and Henze, Phaidon ISBN 0-7148-3174-3
2. ^ Quoted in liner notes to Orfeo CD C718 071 B, trans. Stewart Spencer
3. ^ Liner notes to Hyperion CDA67547.