The Scherzo Connection
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"Symphony No 2 Scherzo," painting by Caroline Tate
Allegro, adagio, presto, largo.
More often than not, composers give movements an Italian name that indicates how fast— or slow—they should be played.
But there is an exception—the scherzo.
Which in Italian means “jest” or “joke.”
In this hour, how the scherzo came to be—and what it unexpectedly became.
4:00 p.m.
Henry Litolff
Concerto Symphonique No. 4: II. Scherzo Opus 102
San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Yuja Wang, piano
4:01 p.m.
Haydn
String Quartet #1 In B Flat, Op. 11, La Chasse - 2. Minuet
Angeles String Quartet
4:04 p.m.
Haydn
String Quartet #30 In E Flat, Op. 332, The Joke - 2. Scherzo
Angeles String Quartet
4:05 p.m.
Haydn
Symphony No. 46 - 4. Presto E Scherzando
Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra; Adam Fischer, conductor
4:09 p.m.
Beethoven
Symphony No.3 "Eroica"; scherzo- allegro vivace
Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor
4:15 p.m.
Chopin
Scherzo No. 2 op. 31
; Maurizio Pollini, conductor Maurizio Pollini, piano
4:21 p.m.
Henry Litolff
Concerto Symphonique No. 4: II. Scherzo Opus 102
San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Yuja Wang, piano
4:29 p.m.
Haydn
String Quartet #30 In E Flat, Op. 332, The Joke - 2. Scherzo
Angeles String Quartet
4:31 p.m.
Mendelssohn
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61. Scherzo, 1. Autzug
London Symphony Orchestra; Andre Previn, conductor Simon Preston, organ
4:36 p.m.
Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 4 Op.36 -3. Scherzo. Pizzicato ostinato. Allegro
New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor
4:42 p.m.
Dvorak
Scherzo Capriccioso
London Symphony Orchestra; Istvan Kertesz, conductor
4:51 p.m.
Stravinsky
Scherzo a la Russe
Orpheus Chamber Ensemble
4:55 p.m.
Metcalf
Septet, Scherzo
Solstice Quartet
4:58 p.m.
Henry Litolff
Concerto Symphonique No. 4: II. Scherzo Opus 102
San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Yuja Wang, piano
