Masterclass: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider on Mozart Violin Concerto no.5

There is something that you cannot explain about Mozart – some kind of divine vein that he was able to tap into. With Beethoven it is as if he speaks to the heavens, but for Mozart it is the other way round; something is coming down upon us from somewhere else. The way to understand him is through his operas; his music is about characters. For us as violinists, the challenge is to embody several clearly defined voices, even though we only ever play one line: the sense of polyphony within monophony.

This is a marvellous piece. It’s early Mozart, but very beautiful and eloquent. The first thing to consider when you approach the first movement is that, unusually, the main orchestral exposition (Allegro Aperto) is interrupted by a seemingly unrelated solo adagio, preceding the main solo movement (the second Allegro Aperto). What is the relationship between the tempo of the Adagio and the tempo of the main movement? It’s important to ask this question rather than having a fatalistic approach whereby you start without thinking about it. The tempo of the main movement is determined by that of the Adagio, and not the other way round – there must be some sort of connection. For me, the Adagio is half the tempo of the allegro, so if the Adagio is not to be too fast, the main tempo should be somewhat held. This way of thinking gives the music sense, proportion and an organic quality.