Violin excerpt · Audition repertoire
Mozart, Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 ("Haffner")
IV. Presto
A fast, light classical finale that tests clarity at speed. The instruction in the score is famously to play it as fast as possible.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Violin
- Composer
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Work
- Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 ("Haffner")
- Movement
- IV. Presto
- Era
- Classical (c. 1750–1820)
- Composed
- 1782
- Tempo
- Presto
- Clef
- Treble clef
- Level
- Advanced, conservatory level
- Audition list
- Yes, standard excerpt
How to practise it
The bow style, the trouble spots, and the stylistic decisions that come up most often on this excerpt.
Bowing
A short, light stroke in the lower half. The passage stops working the moment the stroke gets heavy.
Where it goes wrong
Evenness matters more than speed. A slightly slower tempo that is perfectly clean is a better audition choice than a faster one that blurs.
Style
Keep the dynamic contrasts sharp, Mozart writes terraced dynamics, not gradual ones.
Tags
Work on the technique underneath
Arco's violin curriculum builds the bow strokes, positions, and clef reading this excerpt assumes, with recorded violin playback throughout.