Composed at the height of Beethoven's so-called “heroic” period, Beethoven's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra does not breathe the emphasis of the Fifth Symphony, the Sonata Appassionata, the Coriolan Overture. The Concerto, on the other hand, approaches the pastoral character of the Sixth Symphony and avoids great contrasts, preferring a robust lightness, with a bucolic and often ironic flavour. Irony that can be found in the dedication to his friend, and first performer of the concert, Franz Clement: "concerto par clemenza pour Clement". A violinist known both for his flamboyant virtuosity and for his clear and elegant sound, Clement received a concert tailored to his best qualities, even if it arrived at the last second. Carl Czerny, a pupil of Beethoven, tells us that the composer finished the score just two days before the concert, relying on Clement's prodigious reading and memorization skills. One can perhaps understand Beethoven's request for “clemency” to his friend. The evening closes with the Symphony n. 2 by Beethoven, written between 1800 and 1802. A composition in which contemporaries immediately felt something excessive and surprising compared to their listening habits.
