Brahms wrote his Violin Concerto in the summer of 1878 in the lyrical Carinthian region of Pörtschach am Wörthersee, where he would rise at dawn, swim, and begin composing by 7 am.
Performer Biography
Oleg Caetani, the conductor, considers Nadia Boulanger to be the driving inspiration of his career, as she discovered his talent and initiated him into music.
Performer Biography
Charlie Siem, the violinist on this recording, began playing at age three after hearing a broadcast of Yehudi Menuhin playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto.
Compositional Technique
The Brahms Violin Concerto, like those by Mozart, Viotti, and Beethoven, was a Classico-Romantic example of the genre that left the choice or writing of the first movement cadenza to the soloist.
Instruments
Charlie Siem performs on a 1735 Guarneri del Gesù violin, known as the D'Egville.
Composition History
Brahms sought advice from trusted friends and instrumentalists, including violinist Joseph Joachim, when composing his Violin Concerto, sending him 'a number of violin passages' for his opinion.
Composer Biography
Johannes Brahms, the composer of the Violin Concerto, was described by his friend Georg Henschel as broad-chested, with a genial underlip, ruddy skin, and thick brownish hair, often found in cozy German restaurants.
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