Breaking from the traditional three-movement form, Shostakovich structured his Violin Concerto No. 1 in four movements, similar to his symphonies.
Critical Reception
Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 was met with official silence after its Soviet premiere, but its American debut by David Oistrakh in 1955 was met with tremendous excitement.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 was originally composed in 1947-48 with opus number 77, then reworked in 1955 and assigned opus number 99.
Composer Biography
Shostakovich recalled the period of composing his Sixth Symphony as "difficult and mean," a time of great pain, loneliness, and fear.
Performer Biography
Gerard Schwarz, the conductor on this album, has served as Music Director for the Seattle Symphony since 1985 and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra since 2001.
Performer Biography
Elmar Oliveira is the first and only American violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow's Tchaikovsky International Competition.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Shostakovich, though not Jewish, was attracted to Jewish folk music and expressed empathy for Soviet Jewry through works like the Violin Concerto No. 1.
