Sibelius violin concerto
Violin Concerto No. 1 in D minor - Op. 47
[[ Jean Sibelius ]] has written a myriad of works, including symphonies and essays. However, the Sibelius Violin Concerto is one of Sibelius’s most famous works, not only for its legacy, but for its profound emotion and tangible effort that it gives the listener. The violin is and has been the most famous and popular solo instrument for hundreds of years. Consequently, most composers write many concertos for the violin. However, Sibelius only ever composed one, his Op. 46 in D Minor, and decided that he was finished. Sibelius must have known that his first and last violin concerto would become one of the most famous and infamously difficult pieces of violin repertoire of all time.
Sibelius, a Finnish composer, began the work in 1902 and debuted it in Helsinki, Finland, with a local violin teacher in 1904. The initial response to the concerto was underwhelming because its extremely technical aspects proved insurmountably difficult for the average soloist. Sibelius heavily revised the work, removing superfluous sections and re-premiered it in 1905.
The piece is in three movements a the first being 14 minutes long and the following two at seven minutes each. The first begins with a very slow, calm opening that gains momentum as it goes on. The initial scene of the piece depicts a wintry storm, perhaps in Finland. Then it branches off with quick arpeggios and intense triple and double stops. The 2nd movement remains slow the entire time, guiding you through a reprieve, a refuge, only to throw you into a beautiful, tearworthy hell, with the opening of the third movement.
The Concerto has become a staple of the violin and a benchmark for one’s playing. It compels not only the listener, but also the musician, as the violin is an art; however, only some works allow for the emotion to erupt as seamlessly as this one. One notable violinist, often scrutinized for her lack of depth, is Hilary Hahn. She is a technically brilliant musician, however, some find her playing to be dull and monotonous. Hahn has recorded this concerto many times, most notably with the Swedish Radio Symphony, for which her performance earned her a Grammy.
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