Jean Sibelius, the composer of the Violin Concerto, had an 'overriding ambition' to become a great virtuoso violinist but abandoned it.
Compositional Technique
Igor Stravinsky's Duo concertant was partly inspired by a biography of the Italian Renaissance poet Petrarch.
Critical Reception
The Sibelius Violin Concerto was not an overnight sensation; its worldwide fame came later, assisted by Jascha Heifetz's recording from the mid-1930s.
Performer Biography
Ayana Tsuji, the violinist on this album, won the 2016 Concours musical international de Montréal.
Composition History
Sibelius's Violin Concerto took years to complete, first being mentioned in 1899, and its final form was achieved only after a long struggle.
Composition History
Camille Saint-Saëns's Introduction et Rondo capriccioso was inspired by the 'light Franco-Belgian style and Spanish heritage' of the great violinist Pablo de Sarasate.
Notable Performances
The revised version of Sibelius's Violin Concerto premiered in Berlin in October 1905 with Karel Halír as soloist and Richard Strauss conducting.
You might also enjoy...
Stravinsky: Complete Works for Violin and Piano
Martina Bacova
Violin Sonata and Dances from Gayaneh & Spartacus
Poulenc, F.: Violin Sonata / Stravinsky, I.: Suite Italienne / Milhaud, D.: Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit (Koch, Milford) (Paris)
Palatín: Violin Works
Achron: Music for Violin and Piano
Stravinsky: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano
