Composers Archive

Tchaikovsky’s only violin concerto was composed in 1878, with the first performance not until 1881 by the Vienna Philharmonic with soloist Adolf Brodsky. Having been composed in the latter part of his career, it was …

The story is told of how Edward Elgar, returning home from giving violin lessons, sat down at the piano and, to unwind, began improvising. His wife, Alice, commented favorably on the tune that emerged and …

The movements of this work by Josef Haydn are as follows: Allegro moderato Minuetto Adagio Finale: Fuga a due soggetti The key of F minor was Haydn’s key of choice to express his darkest and …

The opening of Brahms’ Intermezzo in B-flat Minor (Opus 117, No. 2) is astonishing. The piece is off and running from the start, suggesting multiple tonal regions. Brahms displays his mastery of ambiguity, that makes …

The A-major concerto, one of Mozart’s most popular, is not only a powerfully emotional work—especially the second movement—but is also of historical interest. One of three concertos Mozart was to perform in Vienna during the …