Samuel Barber composed his violin concerto in 1939. The nature of its genesis, including external factors, led to the aspect that is the unusual: the seeming incongruity between the character of the first two movements and that of the finale.
The first and second movements are lyrical and melodic, the first lasting about ten minutes, the second around nine.
But to these two gorgeous movements Barber adds a finale that is played at breakneck speed, never pauses for breath, utilizes rhythmic complexities and accents that are brutal in their effect, and only runs about four minutes.
The concerto is incredibly virtuosic, with the solo violin playing in a perpetual, continual motion with only two orchestral breaks.
Here is violinist Gil Shaham to play this nice concerto for you:
