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Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Violin Concerto in D Minor
Composed: 1904, rev. 1905
Premiered: 1904, Helsinki
Duration: 31 minutes

Sibelius came from the Swedish-speaking, upper level of Finnish society, but was sent to Finnish-language schools, with the result that he became fluent enough in Finnish to be able to draw on Kalevala, the great Finnish epic, for much of his literary inspiration. He began his musical career as a violinist, realizing only in his 20s that his technique would not allow him to reach the highest level as a performer. His real calling was that of a composer, and his mission was to show the world the unique culture of his country, at that time subject to a harsh regime as a province of Tsarist Russia.

A work for solo violin and orchestra should have come naturally to Sibelius, who began his career as a violinist, but its gestation and birth were not easy. For one thing, throughout his life he spent more than he could afford on luxurious living and excessive drink. In order to make ends meet, he was compelled to make money by breaking off to compose a good deal of trivial music, which would sell quickly. The Helsinki concert for which the Violin Concerto was intended had to be postponed repeatedly, and then it was performed by a soloist who was not able to master it. The first version was extensively pruned and tightened up, and a more satisfactory performance took place in Berlin in 1905, with Richard Strauss conducting. Though it was reasonably well received, the concerto did not achieve real popularity for many years. However, it now has the distinction of being the most frequently performed concerto for any instrument during the 20th century.  

It has been surmised that its intensity reflects the composer’s nostalgia for the violinist’s career he never achieved. The haunting opening has suggested to some hearers the icy, remote landscapes of Sibelius’ native land. He understood the violin and its capacity for virtuosity better than any other major composer. When asked about the way he wanted the finale performed, he said “It must be played with absolute mastery – fast, of course, but no faster than it can be played perfectly, from the top.” Its rhythm suggested to Donald Tovey “a polonaise for polar bears.”

Program note by the late Dr. C.W. Helleiner.

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Violin Concerto in D Minor
Composed: 1904, rev. 1905
Premiered: 1904, Helsinki
Duration: 31 minutes

Sibelius came from the Swedish-speaking, upper level of Finnish society, but was sent to Finnish-language schools, with the result that he became fluent enough in Finnish to be able to draw on Kalevala, the great Finnish epic, for much of his literary inspiration. He began his musical career as a violinist, realizing only in his 20s that his technique would not allow him to reach the highest level as a performer. His real calling was that of a composer, and his mission was to show the world the unique culture of his country, at that time subject to a harsh regime as a province of Tsarist Russia.

A work for solo violin and orchestra should have come naturally to Sibelius, who began his career as a violinist, but its gestation and birth were not easy. For one thing, throughout his life he spent more than he could afford on luxurious living and excessive drink. In order to make ends meet, he was compelled to make money by breaking off to compose a good deal of trivial music, which would sell quickly. The Helsinki concert for which the Violin Concerto was intended had to be postponed repeatedly, and then it was performed by a soloist who was not able to master it. The first version was extensively pruned and tightened up, and a more satisfactory performance took place in Berlin in 1905, with Richard Strauss conducting. Though it was reasonably well received, the concerto did not achieve real popularity for many years. However, it now has the distinction of being the most frequently performed concerto for any instrument during the 20th century.  

It has been surmised that its intensity reflects the composer’s nostalgia for the violinist’s career he never achieved. The haunting opening has suggested to some hearers the icy, remote landscapes of Sibelius’ native land. He understood the violin and its capacity for virtuosity better than any other major composer. When asked about the way he wanted the finale performed, he said “It must be played with absolute mastery – fast, of course, but no faster than it can be played perfectly, from the top.” Its rhythm suggested to Donald Tovey “a polonaise for polar bears.”

Program note by the late Dr. C.W. Helleiner.