Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 & Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20a

Featuring

Volker Hartung
Daniel Austrich
Junge Philharmonie Köln
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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Composition History

Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto was completed in a few weeks, with the help of his composition student and violinist Josif Kotek, who played the solo part.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky initially intended to dedicate his Violin Concerto to Josif Kotek, but was constrained by gossip, and then to Leopold Auer, who refused to premiere it due to technical difficulties.

Critical Reception

The premiere of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto was met with mixed critical reactions, with influential critic Eduard Hanslick calling it "long and presumptuous" and stating it "confronts us with the repulsive thought that music can exist that stinks to the ear."

Critical Reception

The premiere of 'Swan Lake' on March 4, 1877, was not well-received, with critics finding the plot too complicated and criticizing the dancers, orchestra, and stage sets.

Compositional Technique

The first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto is unusual because the cadenza appears before the reprise, and the introductory orchestral melody does not recur.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky's ballet 'Swan Lake' was inspired by his visit to King Ludwig II of Bavaria's castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, and the ballet music of Leo Delibes and Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle'.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky composed his Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, in Clarens, Switzerland, to recover from the depression of his unhappy marriage to Antonina Miljukowa.