Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

[1878]

After Tchaikovsky’s short-lived marriage and subsequent mental breakdown in 1877, a visit to Switzerland that November did wonders for his health and spirit. He returned the following March for another retreat, this time joined by Iosef (or Josef) Kotek, a violinist and former composition student. Together they played through major works of violin repertoire, a process that sparked in Tchaikovsky a “burning inspiration” to compose a violin concerto.

It took Tchaikovsky only 25 days to complete the concerto, including the orchestration. He considered having Kotek perform the premiere, but instead he offered the debut to Leopold Auer, a famous Hungarian virtuoso based in Saint Petersburg. That plan went awry when Auer declared that certain passages were unplayable, forcing Tchaikovsky to cancel the scheduled premiere and look for another soloist. After the belated premiere in Vienna in 1881, it didn’t take long for serious violinists—even Auer, eventually—to find that their fingers could indeed keep up with all that passionate lyricism and fiery virtuosity.

As impressive as the rapid passagework may be, it is the luscious melodies that make Tchaikovsky’s concerto a perennial favorite. The opening movement frames the violin’s seductive themes in a grand and spacious form, including a cadenza that arrives early (in the manner of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto) to usher in a sweet recapitulation.

The second movement is a nostalgic Canzonetta, or “little song.” The finale commences without a pause, launching right into a suspenseful solo cadenza. In the Allegro vivacissimo body of the movement, the violin blazes through thrilling pyrotechnics and several contrasting themes on its way to a breathless conclusion.

Solo violin; two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings