fermata
the cadenza as a space for improvisation.
at school I was given a lesson on the cadenza. I had never understood why anyone would want to play music that already existed and I assumed that once the soloist was free he or she would seize the chance and do something wonderful. I was very disappointed when the teacher played us an example from mozart’s horn Concerto - you couldn’t hear the join!
here’s alex ward doing something wonderful with the cadenza from mozart’s clarinet concerto, with the london improviser’s orchestra at cafe oto