The Best Violin Concertos of All Time
The violin concerto is one of classical music’s most popular and beloved genres. There are many great violin concertos, but which ones are the best? Here is a list of the best violin concertos of all time:
Quick Picks: The Best Violin Concertos of All Time
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What Makes A Great Violin Concerto?
Violin concertos come in different shapes and sizes, like other classical music. Many things can make a violin concerto great, such as the wide range of the violin and its ability to connect with the audience emotionally.
Periods Of Violin Concertos
Violin concertos have been written throughout the history of modern classical music. Every key period of classical music has examples. The five major periods are as follows:
Baroque Period
The Baroque period was a time when classical music began to change. Prominent composers include Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, Georg Philipp Telemann, Giuseppe Tartini, and Claudio Monteverdi.
Classical Period
The Classical period followed the Baroque period in classical music history. This period is significant since it established the framework for all subsequent compositions. The Classical period lasted from about 1730 to 1820. Some famous composers were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Muzio Clementi, and Leopold Mozart.
Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert are important figures changing from the Classical period to the Romantic period.
Romantic Era
The Romantic era in classical music was an intellectual, artistic, and literary movement that dominated the 19th Century. This movement rebelled against the strict confines of the Classical and Baroque periods.
Among the most well-known composers are Ludwig van Beethoven, Hector Berlioz, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, Antonin Dvorak, Jean Sibelius, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and many others.
20th Century
The 20th Century was a time of significant change in music. There were many new styles and genres of music. Composers started to experiment with new ways to write music.
Richard Strauss, Edward Elgar, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky, George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, and Terry Riley are among the most famous composers. John Cage is another well-known composer.
21st Century
As classical music has become less popular, composers have had to find new ways to make their music heard. It has led to many crossover genres and the use of new technologies. Some well-known composers in this era include Kaija Saariaho, Jennifer Higdon, Eric Whitacre, Nico Muhly, and Caroline Shaw.
Top 10 Best Violin Concertos
1. Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 61, Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven’s violin concerto was not well-known when it was first composed. In 1844, everything changed when the 12-year-old violinist Joseph Joachim gave a revival performance with the London Philharmonic Society orchestra, conducted by Felix Mendelssohn.
Since this revival, Beethoven’s violin concerto has become one of the most famous in classical music history. It was a transitional phase between the Classical and Romantic periods. It was heavily influenced by the French style of composition from that period. It isn’t easy and requires incredible skill and mastery.
2. Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 77, Johannes Brahms
Brahms wrote a violin concerto that followed the same key and was dedicated to Joseph Joachim. When Brahms’ concerto premiered, Joachim began with Beethoven’s concerto and ended with Brahms’.
The concerto is one of the for violinists. It is very skilled, expressive, and wonderful. It is the best of its kind. Beyond its position in classical music, the concerto also appears in the 2007 film There Will Be Blood. It is sampled extensively in the 2004 Alicia Keys song “Karma.”3. Violin Concerto No. 5 In A Major, K. 219
Mozart’s violin concertos are an excellent example of Classical-era concertos. They usually have three movements: fast-slow-fast. These concertos are popular with students and professionals because they require precise instrument control.
This piece is essential for students to learn how to play eventually.
4. Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043, Johann Sebastian Bach
The Bach Double is one of Bach’s most famous works. It is a concerto for two violins, and it is easier than other concertos by composers like Beethoven or Brahms. However, this work is still sophisticated and entertaining.
It is a favorite piece for student concerto competitions. You should take some time to learn this piece if you want to do well in the competition.
5. Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 35, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Russian composer Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto is one of the most famous pieces of music for violin ever written. It is different from the Brahms concerto, written in D major that same year.
The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is one of the composer’s most famous works. It was written during his Romantic period, and it is a favorite among students and professionals.
6.Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117, Bela Bartok
Bela Bartok wrote two violin concertos. His first one wasn’t well-known. But his second one, which he wrote between 1937 and 1938, got a lot of recognition. It was written during a challenging period in his life when he was concerned about the rise of fascism in Europe.
The concerto is an essential work of 20th-century music. It uses new techniques, like 12-tone writing, different from the traditional way of writing music. The concerto also has a new form that is bigger than before.
7. Violin Concerto In D Minor, Op. 47, Jean Sibelius
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius is considered one of the greatest composers. He is best known for his violin concerto, regarded as one of his finest works. The concerto combines symphonic and chamber music techniques and helped establish a Finnish national identity.
The violin concerto is a beautiful, emotional piece essential for anyone playing the violin. It is a favorite of professional soloists and students.
8 .Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64, Felix Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn’s violin concerto is one of the most famous pieces of music in history. It is one of three famous German concertos and Beethoven’s and Brahms’s works. Mendelssohn’s concerto is magical, lyrical, and thoroughly enjoyable.
This piece is a popular choice for a student’s first “real” concerto, even though professionals still perform it frequently.
9 .Concerto In D, Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis is a well-known jazz trumpeter. He is most known for his jazz contributions, although he has recently started composing classical music. One of his latest pieces is a violin concerto that he wrote for his friend Nicola Benedetti.
This piece is based on the connections between classical symphonic writing and jazz, African American poets and musicians, Scottish poets, and collaboration with Benedetti herself.
10. Violin Concerto, Jennifer Higdon
Jennifer Higdon is a famous composer who wrote a violin concerto considered very important. The concerto was written for Hilary Hahn and premiered by her and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra on February 6, 2009.
Higdon’s concerto is a three-movement piece that showcases different aspects of the violin’s capabilities. Critics and audiences positively received it. In 2010, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Best Violin Concertos Composers
Many composers have written violin concertos. As a professional musician and teacher, I think these three composers are the best.
Johannes Brahms
Brahms is one of the most well-known classical composers. His violin concerto is one of his most famous works, and it is still performed frequently. The concerto is in D major, and it was written in 1878.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven’s violin concerto is an essential piece of music. It helped establish the genre and make the violin a necessary instrument in classical music. Beethoven is a significant composer in classical music history, and his violin concerto is a substantial contribution to music history.
Jean Sibelius
The Sibelius violin concerto is one of the most important violin concertos. It is a perfect piece of music. Even though Sibelius is not as famous as other classical composers, his violin concerto is one of the best. Every violinist should know this concerto and study it.
In Conclusion
The violin concerto is an essential type of classical music that has been around for centuries. Nearly every famous composer in the history of classical music has written one. It is because the acoustic and expressive capabilities of the violin make it perfect for this type of music. The best composers know how to use all of the instrument’s strengths and characteristics to create a piece that sounds amazing.
While most violin concertos have a standard three-movement structure, composers have used this form throughout the history of classical music to express their compositional personalities and approaches.
Click here to learn more information about the Classical Music Violin.Frequently Asked Questions About Best Violin Concerto
Some violinists and critics refer to the “Big Five” violin concertos. This list typically includes famous works by Beethoven, Brahms, Bruch, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky.
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 is one of his most famous pieces. It is a towering work that stands above the piano repertoire.
Mozart wrote a lot of music when he was young. He wrote 33 sonatas for violin and piano, five concertos for violin, and many other pieces.
People sometimes feel tears and chills when they hear music – or “tingles.”A response comes from the parasympathetic nervous system, as well as the brain regions that are related to rewards. Studies have shown that around 25% of the population experiences this reaction to music.
