Violin Concerto (Dvořák)
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Antonín Dvořák met Joseph Joachim in 1878 and decided to dedicate a concerto to him. He finished the concerto in 1879, but Joachim became skeptical about the work. He was a strict classicist and objected to Dvořák's inter alia or his abrupt truncation of the first movement's orchestral tutti. Joachim also didn't like the fact that the recapitulation was cut short and that it led directly to the slow movement. It is also assumed that he was upset with the persistent repetition found in the third movement. However, Joachim never said anything outright and instead claimed to be editing the solo part. He never actually played the piece.
The concerto was premiered in 1883 by František Ondříček in Prague. He also gave the premieres in Vienna and London. Today it stands as one of the great concertos of the violin repertoire.
The concerto's structure is the classical three movements of fast-slow-fast. The second movement is most famous for its beautiful lyricism.
- Allegro ma non troppo
- Adagio ma non troppo
- Finale: Allegro giocoso ma non troppo
This concerto is quite similar to the first concerto of Max Bruch. Both concertos are in minor keys, this one in A minor and the other in G minor. Both concertos open with two violin cadenzas before the concerto plunges into the development. Both pieces have a violin cadenza at the end of the first movement that leads directly into the second movement. Both second movements are notable for their lyrical themes. Both concertos end with scherzo-like themes even though the structures are not alike.
