Jean Sibelius was born in Hämeenlinna, Finland, on December 8, 1865, and died at Järvenpää, near Helsinki, on September 20, 1957.
Sibelius began work on his Violin Concerto in 1902, completed it in short score in the fall of 1903, and finished the full score about New Year 1904. After the first performance, in Helsinki on February 8, 1904, with Viktor Nováček as soloist and with the composer conducting, Sibelius withdrew the work for revision.
In its present form it had its premiere in Berlin on October 19, 1905, with Karl Halíř as soloist and Richard Strauss on the podium. The orchestra consists of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, all in pairs; four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings.
I listened to violinist Janine Jansen performing this exciting work with the Berlin Philharmonic.
