Your Favorite Violin Concerto

What's yours? I can't decide between Beethoven's and Tchaikovsky's. There are some tear-driving moments in Beethoven's first movement, and a wonderful classical aura around the variations second movement. The third movement is incredibly pastoral-like (it represents a hunting bird) and extremely fun to play. Many violinists consider Beethoven's concerto to be the greatest violin music ever.

Tchaikovsky's concerto is extremely virtuosic (exceeded only by Brahms, I think, and it's not very much of a difference) but also quite emotive: Russian motifs can always be found here and there. The 17 minute long first movement (yes, that's right: and Beethoven's first movement clocks at around 26 minutes) has some of the finest violin phrases and soloist/orchestra dialogue ever written: every scale and arpeggio sounds amazingly in place. When the orchestra plays the first theme (in the beginning played piano by the violin and the woodwinds) with the trumpets acting in a fanfarre like way, the spectator cannot do anything but to wonder himself with such amazing sounds. The second movement, while short and simple, is also extremely melancholic and emotive: it really touches me. When Menuhin plays it, it almost stinks with pain. Somehow, with his interpretation, I think it adquired quite the Jewish feeling of it, as if it was the thoughts of a homeless (home in the sense of native land) man. Wonderful. The amazingly exciting third movement is often (and sadly) cut for time purposes, reducing the movement's lenght in around three minutes (Leopold Auer was probably the first one to do it.) In the uncut version, some passages repeat itself so many times it sounds like a maniac trying to get out of a crazy deliration. Somehow, it finds its way through the maze and exits towards the first theme (again.)

There are obviously other great wonderful concertos, like Brahms' heavyweight, Mendelssohn's achievement for young virtuosos, Bruch's wonderful musical textures and Sibelius' movie soundtrack sense.

In order to end this post of mine, I would like to mention one of the very few contemporany pieces which I actually liked: John Adams' 1993 Violin Concerto. Just listen to the second movement: you'll get quite the chill.

So, what your favorite Violin Concertos or your opinions on them? (Man, am I tired of Piano Concertos.)

Elliot Carter! his violin concerto is pimp'n. Also Glazunov's ain't that bad. ;)

While it's not labeled as a concerto, it's hard not to like Bruch's Scottish Fantasy. Beethoven's concerto is also a favorite, as is Khachaturian's.

One very recent work worth listening to: Ellen Taafe Zwilich's concerto.

Wow, you sure gave me some new names as far as Violin Concertos are concerned! Thanks a lot! I'll search for them.

Any more opinions?

Tchaikovsky, for me, is number 1. Though Bruch's Violin Concerto is growing on me, especially that brilliant third movement :)

Tchaikovsky, for me, is number 1. Though Bruch's Violin Concerto is growing on me, especially that brilliant third movement

I too love Tchaikovsky: The second movement is one of the most beautiful 6 minutes I ever experienced. I myself am playing Bruch, and am studying the third movement! :laugh: Boy, it's really demanding, and even at 12, I was able to play Mozart's Third Concerto rather flawlessly at the Christmas Concert(not that such task was VERY hard.) Bruch is definately a challenge: the second movement is also extremely beautiful, one of the greatest. Anyway, these are the violin concertos I've played so far and the ones I'm gonna play... (I obviously played more violin music, including scales, Mazas and Kreutzer etudes, Beethoven's spring sonata and Bach's partita no. 3 to mencion recent non-concerto violin music I've played.)

- Vivaldi in A minor (2000-2001, played in Italy in Alessandria, Genova and Asti in April 2001. Was very well welcomed. I am rather fed up with some of the themes, even altough not as much as Haydn's.)

- Haydn in G Major (2001-2002, played it with piano in many recitals: the melodies still haunt me today: I am SO fed up with this.)

- Bach Double Concerto in D minor (studied later half 2001, I only ever played the first movement. This is perhaps the piece I've played the most at concerts: nine times. The first time was me playing second and my teacher playing first; then I played with with one of students at the school; after that, I played it again with my teacher, this time me as the first violin; then I played it as one of the five first violins along with seven second violins, and that was something huge; then I played it again with other students, this time firsts 3 and seconds 2; then I played it with the same student I played the second time; then I played it with another student; the final performance so far was with another "ensemble" of soloists, 3 firsts and 5 seconds... Or was it? Recently I was asked to play it in a concert after doing the Beethoven spring sonata and my teacher played with me: worst, I didn't had the sheet music!!! The pianist somehow had it, perhaps for another student, and me and my teacher had to play by heart. Obviously, both of us made some little micro mistakes... :o )

- Accolay in A minor (2002, I don't think I was emotionally mature enough to play it at the time: my vibrato was still very weak and the... well, let's move on.)

- Bach in E Major (2002-2003, one of my greatest experiences in violin playing. Played it with the youth orchestra in Oporto at the "Ordem dos Médicos". The performance ran really well and I still love the concerto today: the third movement Major section was very fun to play and the third movement make me dance: true Baroque masterpiece.)

- Bruch in G minor, 1st Movement (2003, my teacher told me to play the first movement even altough I was ten and wasn't able to do it, both technically and emotionally, but mostly technically. That's why I stopped to play another one...)

- Mozart in G Major (2003-2005, started after the miserable failure that was the Bruch first movement and things evolved slowly yet in the right way: I constantly polished it and ran through it and finally played it well 21st December 2005 at my music school's 50th anniversary concert. The mayor kept looking at me in suspicion: what the hell did he think? Of course, going from Summer 2003 almost to 2006, it was a long gestation time period for the concerto: in the meanwhile, I also played something else...)

- Vivaldi "Spring from the Four Seasons" in E Major (2005, the first movement theme is extremely well known. It was fun to play Spring and also technically easy, including the thunderstorm solo. I was pleased with my performance, and everyone enjoyed this little concerto and all its freshness.)

- Bruch in G minor, 2nd and 3rd movements (2005 up to present, I studied the second movement a lot, but it was a pleasure rather than work because it's amazingly beautiful, perhaps even more than the Tchaikovsky second movement, which I could also play, obviously not the first or third movements, I'm still gonna wait a couple of years for those. I just begun studying the third movement and I'm quite scared, but I'm sure to get it with hard work. My upcoming projects are...)

- Kabalewski, Violin Concerto (2006, surely also 07, I don't know anything about this except that it's 20th century and semi-Glinkian russian, with a constant battle between major and minor. It would be of great help is someone could tell me more: I only spend three hours a week with my teacher. Thanks.)

- Mendelssohn in E minor (2006, definately 07 up to the end like Mozart. I'm really looking forward to play this one: you can't be the stereotypical 12 year old semi-prodigy (people call me a great prodigy, but I don't think I am that much) without the Mendelssohn concerto: I've already played through it at slow tempo and managed most of the high parts and scales. I'm gonna do it after Bruch and Kabalewski, or perhaps when those two can be put in the shelve for a while.)

Yesterday I heard Nadja give an open rehearsal of Bruch's 1st violin concerto in GMINOR! fantastic work and fantastic violinist. Was a pleasure and I learned a thing or two from Bruch such as having the orchestra literally become part of the violin.

Was a pleasure and I learned a thing or two from Bruch such as having the orchestra literally become part of the violin.

That is certainly true as far as Bruch's First goes.

Literally? Ouch.

* grins *

Wow M is D - you can play that? And you're what, only 12? My god, I feel like a right ole' beginner just coming off the open strings *sob* :)

Beethoven's.

Sibelius's I never liked, and Tchaikovsky is over-rated in general in my opinion. Nothing even comes close to Beethoven's that I have heard to date.

I wonder if Sibelius is just frequently misinterpreted. Most times I've heard the Sibelius concerto, the first movement seems disjointed, with extreme mood swings. But then last week I heard Hilary Hahn perform the Sibelius concerto with the LA Philharmonic, and somehow the first movement sounded a lot more coherent. I mentioned it at the post-concert autograph session, and she said that if there was one thing different in her interpretation from most violinists it would be her treatment of tempo changes, and furthermore offered that she really didn't like the tempi that most soloists took on recordings. After going back and listening to two recordings, I have to agree with Ms. Hahn's assessment: most soloists tend to overdramatize, particularly by slowing down excessively (for dramatic effect) in certain places, and that disrupts the integrity of the movement.

Nice repetoire M is D.

You should try the Mozart A major (#5).

While technically violinists may call it easy, the majority of performances I've heard go badly out of tune during the fast high sections.

Playing those sections in tune, and playing with feeling ends up with a fantastic performance usually.

Btw, just a question. How high does the solo violin part go to usually in a concerto?

Which composers tend to write these high notes?

I've seen a high D (above the 6th ledger line) in Mozart violin music, but dunno what else.

Maybe I should explain myself...

or maybe you'll learn in due time, ehhhhhh whatever.......

With maturity tastes in music change... I don't see how you can say so positively say that "Anybody who likes Elliot Carter has retarded ears" or "I don't hate you but I still don't understand how anyone can like that scraggy". Please tone down your language and remember that your tastes aren't the bible when it comes to music appreciation. You could have just said that you like T's and been done with it.

Though your sentences should have color as well

and that and this and shouldn't do this, must be like this... no effrontery! what so ever...

I do agree with you cavatina I'm just tired of this quarrel between the vulgar...

Plus I enjoy's Nc's instults that soon go into apologies, they are splendid!

Derek's? well, he needs to support some of his labelings.

Ranges are crazy in anything. I really have to get the score of Paganinni's first violin concerto. If you've heard the cadenza in that (last six mins of first movement0, I think you've heard more or less everything technical about the violin. I know in the Bruch (I heard it) that he goes as far as the E harmonic right at the end of the fingerboard. That's the safest place to go to and if you want to go any higher, just use fake harmonics.

Ranges are crazy in anything. I really have to get the score of Paganinni's first violin concerto. If you've heard the cadenza in that (last six mins of first movement0, I think you've heard more or less everything technical about the violin. I know in the Bruch (I heard it) that he goes as far as the E harmonic right at the end of the fingerboard. That's the safest place to go to and if you want to go any higher, just use fake harmonics.

Paganinni Violin Concerto No. 2, Mvt 3! What a great piece of music!!! Liszt's piano version is great as well.

Brahms violin concerto in D major

Be sure to check out Carl Nielsen's Violin Concerto as well. It is a great work that will be a delight to discover

The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

Followed closely by the Tchaikovsky D Major Violin Concerto.... both are spectacular works.

The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

Followed closely by the Tchaikovsky D Major Violin Concerto.... both are spectacular works.

I love them both :P

Mendelssohn in E minor (2006, definately 07 up to the end like Mozart. I'm really looking forward to play this one: you can't be the stereotypical 12 year old semi-prodigy (people call me a great prodigy, but I don't think I am that much) without the Mendelssohn concerto: I've already played through it at slow tempo and managed most of the high parts and scales. I'm gonna do it after Bruch and Kabalewski, or perhaps when those two can be put in the shelve for a while.)

This is perhaps my favorite of them all. However, Is there one by Beethoven that is called spring or something like that? I might like that one just as much.

Yes, but that's a Violin SONATA. I played it too, it's adorable :D but Beethovenesque as well :D