Peter Tchaikovsky composed his Violin Concerto in 1878 after some disastrous personal issues. Soon after, a friend visited with the composer and brought with him the score for Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnol. The next day they played through Lalo’s Symphonie espagnol, and Tchaikovsky was immediately taken with the idea of writing a large work for violin and orchestra, himself.
He plunged in at once, and found to his delight that music came to him easily.
On April 1, when the work was completely sketched, they played through the concerto for the composer’s other brother, Modest. Both Yosif and Modest thought the slow movement was weak. Four days later, Tchaikovsky wrote a new one
Two years passed. Then one day Tchaikovsky’s publisher informed him that Adolf Brodsky, a young violinist, had learned the concerto and persuaded Hans Richter and the Vienna Philharmonic to play it in concert. That first performance, in December 1881, was no doubt awful because the orchestra, underrehearsed and reading from parts full of mistakes, played pianissimo throughout, to avert disaster.
Ultimately, this work became one of the most loved work for violin and orchestra, and I heard it earlier today as beautifully performed by violinist Joshua Bell.
Enjoy!
