Every classical music fan knows the great violin concertos – Mendelssohn, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Brahms, and so on. But here are ten lesser-known concertos (or individual movements) which deserve more attention.
Kabalevsky, second movement of Violin Concerto in C major, op. 48 (1948).
Achingly beautiful. I could die to this music. And I do, a little bit, whenever I hear it.
Saint-Saens, Violin Concerto no. 1 in A major, op. 20 (1859).
Astonishingly condensed, utterly lovely. One of my favourite pieces of music.
Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in D minor (1822).
Not the famous Mendelssohn concerto: this is the first one he wrote, aged 13. Yes, 13. (When I was 13, I could just about pronounce my own name; Mendelssohn could write this.)
Valentini, Concerto for Four Violins in A minor, op. 7 no. 11 (1710).
Lush baroque gorgeousness. A four-violin, seven-movement spectacular – the seventh movement is particularly spectacular.
Rodrigo, first movement of Concierto de Estio for violin (1944).
Wow. Just … wow.
Thomas Shaw, second movement of Violin Concerto in G major (c. 1785).
I hate listening to this by myself: it’s the kind of thing I want to share with someone special.
Korngold, last movement of Violin Concerto in D, op. 35 (1945).
A romp.
Reinecke, last movement of Violin Concerto in G minor, op. 141 (1876).
How this isn’t a classic I do not know.
Khachaturian, last movement of Violin Concerto in D minor (1940).
“Meaty.”
Glazunov, Violin Concerto in A minor op. 82 (1904).
The epitome of the Romantic violin concerto.
