Runtime: Approx. 22 minutes

In the summer of 1939, Samuel Barber was approached by wealthy businessman Samuel Fels to write a concerto for his adopted son, violin prodigy Iso Briselli. It was Barber’s first foray into concerto writing, and Briselli unfortunately hated the piece. There is no documentation of Briselli’s exact complaints, but stories suggest that he found the first two movements to be too easy, not violinistic, and lacking showmanship, while the last movement was either frivolous, as some have reported, or possibly unplayably difficult. Whatever the exact grievances, Briselli and his teacher asked Barber for extensive rewrites, but Barber was confident in his composition and refused to make the requested changes. Ultimately, Briselli rejected the piece, and it was not given a premiere until February of 1941, when Albert Spalding performed it with the Philidelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy.

If Briselli was hoping for a flashy opening to his concerto, it’s understandable that he was disappointed. Barber was a prolific song and opera composer, and his approach to the concerto still leans heavily into his characteristic lyric sensibilities. The first movement forgoes an introduction, jumping right into an expansive melody. In this movement one can hear the development of the iconic “Americana” sound that was, at the time, being solidified by Barber, Aaron Copland, and their contemporaries with its simple folk-song inspired melodies colored by open, sprawling harmonies. We can also hear the beginnings of what we have come to know as the Hollywood sound. Anyone fond of the soundtrack to films like Out of Africa will find connection to this work.

The second movement takes on a more melancholic tone, offering a lamenting theme first presented by the solo oboe and then handed over to the violin, who continues its elegy in conversation with the oboe, horn, and clarinet.

The third movement, which seems to have been Briselli’s greatest point of contention, adopts a rather different air. Here, Barber offers a fiery antidote to the lyricism of the prior movements, presenting the audience with an opportunity to hear the violin’s full virtuosity on display. The movement is also evocative of Barber’s great Russian contemporaries, Shostakovich and Prokofiev, making use of both the sound world and relentless rhythmic whirlwind so often employed by those composers. In this way, Barber’s Violin Concerto serves as a bridge for this program, connecting Shostakovich’s blazing Overture with Saint-Saëns’ expansive tunefulness.

Despite the initial drama surrounding its composition, Barber’s Violin Concerto has found a secure place in the violin repertoire and has become one of the most beloved and oft-performed contemporary works for the instrument.

Valerie Sly 2024