Romance No. 2
- Composed by: Beethoven
- Composed: 1798
- Duration: about 10 minutes
Orchestration: flute, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, and strings, plus solo violin
The Romance in F major — the longer and more complex of Beethoven’s two romances for solo violin and orchestra — manifests a Romantic sensibility even more strongly than does its G-major companion. It is also cast as a rondo, with the beguiling main theme alternating with episodes in which the minor mode, always a harbinger of “stormy” moods, comes to the fore. These darker, Romantic moments are balanced by rapid virtuosic passages. The final return of the rondo theme closes the work on a dreamy note.
— adapted from a program note by Eric Sellen
Eric Sellen is The Cleveland Orchestra’s Editor Emeritus. He previously was Program Book Editor for 28 seasons.