Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major (The Turkish), K. 219
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Work background
Researched classical background
The Fifth Violin Concerto experiments with changes of tempo and character inside its movements. The soloist's first entrance briefly slows the opening before joining its lively flow. A graceful minuet frames the finale's more forceful contrasting episode, whose exaggerated accents led to the nickname Turkish. The label describes an eighteenth-century theatrical musical convention, not an ethnographic transcription.
A listening guide
Notice the surprise of the violin's first entrance and the sharp change of character inside the final minuet.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Solo violin and orchestra
Composition: 1775
This is Mozart's Fifth Violin Concerto; the nickname refers to an episode in its finale.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Also known as: Turkish Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto No. 5, "Turkish" - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Violin Concerto No. 5, "Turkish" - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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