Britten's Violin Concerto was completed in Quebec and its piano reduction prepared in New York, where he had settled after emigrating to the USA.
Instruments
Anthony Marwood, the violinist, plays a rare 1736 Carlo Bergonzi violin, acquired through a syndicate of purchasers.
Critical Reception
The Violin Concerto's 1940 premiere in New York was generally well-received, with critics praising its novelty and expert instrumentation, though some UK critics later found it disappointing.
Composer Biography
Benjamin Britten began studying at the Royal College of Music at age 17, but found its atmosphere uncongenial and credited his private tutor, Frank Bridge, as a greater inspiration.
Compositional Technique
Britten's Lachrymae is a set of variations that works 'in reverse', gradually merging from complex harmony into the simple idiom of John Dowland's original song.
Performer Biography
Ilan Volkov, the conductor on this album, was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2009 and is known for creating new-music festivals.
Composition History
Britten's Double Concerto, composed in 1932, was not premiered until 1997 at the 50th Aldeburgh Festival, 21 years after his death.
