The Violin Concerto premiered on November 10, 1910, with Fritz Kreisler as soloist and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elgar himself, and was a "complete triumph."
Historical Context
Only eight years separate Elgar's Violin Concerto (1910) and Violin Sonata (1918), but these years encompassed World War One, which deeply affected the composer.
Composition History
On the first page of the Violin Concerto score, Elgar included a Spanish epigraph, "Aquí está encerrada el alma de….." (Here is enshrined the soul of…..), leaving the identity of the soul ambiguous.
Composition History
Elgar considered writing a violin concerto as early as 1890, but only began to pursue the idea seriously after violinist Fritz Kreisler requested one in 1907.
Performer Biography
Renaud Capuçon, the violinist on this album, recorded Elgar's Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra and Simon Rattle during a full lockdown, calling it a "blessed as well as inspiring experience."
Compositional Technique
The Violin Concerto features unprecedented virtuosity, with the violin part being almost orchestral and the soloist playing entire passages in double and triple stops.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Fritz Kreisler, a renowned violinist, considered Elgar the greatest living composer, placing him on par with Beethoven and Brahms, and wished Elgar would write something for the violin.
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Elgar: Violin Concerto in B Minor & Violin Sonata in E Minor
