Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
Antonín Dvořák (1841-0904)

THE STORY

Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s only concerto for the violin, like many works in the concerto genre, was born from a collaboration with a master of the instrument. Joseph Joachim, a Hungarian, was one of the great violinists of the 19th century and counted many composers as friends, including Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann. Joachim’s musicianship allowed these composers to push the technical and expressive capabilities of the violin to new heights.

Dvořák composed his Violin Concerto over the summer of 1879 and sent the violinist his first draft, seeking advice. After some revisions, he sent another draft with a note of dedication. Dvořák wrote to his publisher following Joachim’s response: “At his request, I have revised the whole concerto; not a single bar has been left unaltered. I have no doubt that he will be pleased with what I have done. I have taken immense trouble over it. The whole concerto has now assumed a different aspect.”

Despite his influence on the work, the premiere in 1833 was not performed by Joachim; the first performance was in Prague, with Czech violinist František Ondříček as the soloist. Over the following century, the Concerto has become a cornerstone of violin repertoire. Both performers and audiences have been exhilarated by its soaring melodies, dancing rhythms, and show-stopping ending.

LISTEN FOR

• The first entrance of the violin, which establishes the folk-inspired, improvisatory character of the solo violin throughout
• The violin in the second movement conversing with the woodwinds, particularly the flute and oboe creating a more intimate soundscape between the colossal first and final movements
• A solo from the clarinet— a favorite instrument of Brahms—which begins the third movement
• The lively Slavic folk dance at the beginning of the third movement, called a furiant, later juxtaposed with a dumka, another type of Slavic folk music which is more introspective and singing

INSTRUMENTATION

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