Igor Stravinsky was born in Lomonosov, Russia, on June 17, 1882, and died in New York on April 6, 1971. The first performance of the Violin Concerto took place in Berlin, Germany, on October 23, 1931, with Samuel Dushkin as soloist and the composer conducting the Berlin Radio Orchestra. In addition to the solo violin, the Concerto is scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, E-flat clarinet, two clarinets, three bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, and strings. Approximate performance time is twenty-two minutes.
In Stravinsky: An Autobiography (Simon and Schuster, NY, 1936), Igor Stravinsky provides a detailed and engaging history of his Violin Concerto. Willy Strecker, co-owner and director of the Schott publishing firm, approached Stravinsky with the idea of composing a piece for the Polish-born American violinist Samuel Dushkin, a pupil of Fritz Kreisler and Leopold Auer. Stravinsky recalled: “I hesitated at first, because I am not a violinist, and I was afraid that my slight knowledge of that instrument would not be sufficient to enable me to solve the many problems which would necessarily arise in the course of a major work specially composed for it.” Stravinsky was also concerned that Dushkin might be subject to the “temptations and dangers” that befall many virtuosos who “seek immediate triumphs and to lend themselves to the wishes of the public, the great majority of whom demand sensational effects from the player.”
Stravinsky’s reservations concerning the first issue were allayed by his friend, composer Paul Hindemith, whom Stravinsky described as “a perfect violinist.” Hindemith viewed Stravinsky’s lack of experience in playing the violin in a positive light, observing: “it would be a very good thing, as it would give rise to ideas which would not be suggested by the familiar movement of the fingers.” Further, as Stravinsky acknowledged: “I was not a complete novice in handling the violin. Apart from my pieces for the string quartet and numerous passages in Pulcinella, I had had occasion, particularly in the Histoire d’un Soldat, to tackle the technique of the violin as a solo instrument.”
Stravinsky’s misgivings regarding a collaboration with Dushkin vanished as soon as the composer and violinist met. Stravinsky “was glad to find in (Dushkin), besides his remarkable gifts as a born violinist, a musical culture, a delicate understanding, and—in the exercise of his profession—an abnegation that is very rare.” The two worked closely throughout the creation of the Violin Concerto. Dushkin placed himself completely at the service of Stravinsky and his new composition.
The premiere of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto took place in Berlin on October 23, 1931. Dushkin (to whom Stravinsky dedicated the Concerto) was the soloist, and the composer conducted the Berlin Radio Orchestra. Stravinsky and Dushkin then performed the Concerto throughout Europe. In all cases, Stravinsky noted with great satisfaction: “my new work was very well received.” The cordial relationship between Stravinsky and Dushkin continued with the composition of the 1932 Duo concertant for violin and piano, again dedicated to the violinist.
The Violin Concerto is in four movements. The first (Toccata) opens with a brusque four-note motif. Stravinsky described this theme as “a passport to the music.” It opens each of the movements, and returns in various forms throughout the work. Two slow-tempo movements follow (Aria I, Aria II), each in A—B—A form. The playful finale (Capriccio), a series of mercurial episodes, provides the Concerto’s most overtly virtuoso writing. The four-note motif now appears in its most varied form. In the thrilling presto that concludes the work, the emphatic syncopations and earthy violin sonorities recall the composer’s 1918 L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale).
Program notes by Ken Meltzer