Itzhak Perlman, the violinist on this recording, made his very first recording with Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto at the age of eighteen.
Notable Performances
Nine months after its premiere, Adolf Brodsky introduced the concerto to Moscow, where it received an enthusiastic reception.
Recording & Production
This recording is the only one Itzhak Perlman ever made with Eugene Ormandy, a Hungarian-born American conductor who was also a talented violinist.
Critical Reception
Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto was initially deemed 'unplayable' by its intended dedicatee, Leopold Auer, a professor of violin at the St Petersburg Conservatory.
Critical Reception
At its 1881 premiere, the concerto was "vilified" by eminent critic Eduard Hanslick, who wrote a "vitriolic review" that Tchaikovsky could recite by heart until his dying day.
Composition History
The Sérénade mélancolique, also featured on this album, resulted from the first meeting between Tchaikovsky and Leopold Auer in 1875 and was dedicated to Auer.
