Round 3: Tossup 15

Frank Beck compared this concerto’s first movement to Hamlet, if it began with the “to be or not to be” soliloquy. Performers of this concerto’s second movement often use spiccato to play the repeated gesture, “five B’s, four D’s, four B’s, three A’s, B.” Albert Coates overran his rehearsal time at the expense of this concerto, leading to its disastrous premiere with Felix Salmond. A viola melody in 9/8 time follows this concerto’s opening recitative, marked nobilmente, which begins with a triple-stopped E minor chord. This late-Romantic concerto written in the aftermath of World War I was rarely performed until a 1965 recording launched the career of Jacqueline du Pré. For 10 points, (10[1])name this E minor concerto for a low string instrument by the composer of Pomp and Circumstance. ■END■ (10[1]0[2])

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