Jean Sibelius’ D-minor Violin Concerto towers as an icy summit in the instrument’s literature. But Sibelius and the violin are connected in other ways, too. He aspired to become a violin virtuoso himself but unfortunately fixed on that goal too late for it to be feasible.
When Sibelius embarked on violin lessons he was 14 years old. By that age many virtuosos-in-training are already seasoned players, and the provincial instruction available to Sibelius, combined with his tendency toward stage fright, limited his progress. Still, he became accomplished enough to play in the Vienna Conservatory’s orchestra when he was a student there, in 1890–91, and he even auditioned (unsuccessfully) for a chair in the Vienna Philharmonic.
The Sibelius violin concerto, however, became one of the all time most frequently played works by violinists who reach a proficiency to be able to play it.
Here is violinist Hilary Hahn to play this wonderful music for you:
