This album is a world premiere recording of the restored original version of George Rochberg's Violin Concerto, which involved reassembling missing segments from a single surviving copy of the complete score.
Composer Biography
George Rochberg, the composer, worked his way through college by playing in jazz bands in New York City.
Composition History
The original version of George Rochberg's Violin Concerto was significantly cut by 14 minutes at the request of violinist Isaac Stern, who found it 'too long and taxing'.
Composition History
The Violin Concerto was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in memory of Donald Steinfirst, a music critic.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rochberg's music is characterized by his understanding of the nature of time, allowing sounds to create their own context and enabling an 'all-at-once world' of expression.
Historical Context
The Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, featured on this recording, was established in 1946 to help restore normality after the ravages of World War II in a region historically contested between France and Germany.
Performer Biography
Peter Sheppard Skærved, the violinist on this recording, plays the 1699 'Adelina Crespi' Stradivari.
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