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Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 is one of the best-known of all violin concertos. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of the Romantic period. ... A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. ...

It follows the standard concerto form, with three movements in the pattern quick-slow-quick: The term Concerto (plural concertos or concerti) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. ...

1. Allegro non troppo (D major)
2. Adagio (F major)
3. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace - Poco piu presto (D major)

Originally, however, the work was planned in four movements like the second piano concerto. The middle movements, one of which was intended to be a scherzo, were replaced with what Brahms called a "feeble Adagio." For other uses, see Tempo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tempo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tempo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tempo (disambiguation). ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ...

The work was written in 1878 for the violinist and friend of Brahms, Joseph Joachim, who was the dedicatee. Brahms asked Joachim's advice on the writing of the solo violin part. The most familiar cadenzas used in the work are by Joachim, though a number of people have provided alternatives, including Leopold Auer, Max Reger, Fritz Kreisler, Jascha Heifetz, George Enescu, Nigel Kennedy and Rachel Barton Pine. A recording of the concerto released by Ruggiero Ricci has been coupled with sixteen different cadenzas. Joseph Joachim Joseph Joachim (June 28, 1831 – August 15, 1907) (pronounced YO-a-chim) was a violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. ... In music, a cadenza (Italian for cadence) is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a free rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display. ... Leopold Auer. ... Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (March 19, 1873 – May 11, 1916) was a German composer, organist, pianist and teacher. ... Fritz Kreisler (February 2, 1875 – January 29, 1962) was an Austria-born American violinist and composer; one of the most famous violinists of his day. ... Jascha Heifetz (February 2 [O.S. January 20] 1901 – December 10, 1987) was a Jewish Lithuanian-born American violin virtuoso. ... George Enescu (pronunciation in Romanian: ; known in France as Georges Enesco) (August 19, 1881, Liveni – May 4, 1955, Paris) was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher, preeminent Romanian musician of the 20th century, and one of the greatest performers of his time. ... Nigel Kennedy (born December 28, 1956 in Brighton, England) is a violinist and violist. ... Rachel Barton Pine Rachel Barton Pine (born October 11, 1974) is a violinist from Chicago. ... Ruggiero Ricci (born July 24, 1918 San Bruno, California) is an Italian-American violin virtuoso. ...

The work was premiered by Joachim in Leipzig on January 1, 1879. Various modifications were made between then and the work's publication by Fritz Simrock later in the year. Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ...

Critical reaction to the work was mixed: the conductor Hans von Bülow said the work was not so much for violin as "against the violin". Henryk Wieniawski called the work "unplayable", and the violin virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate refused to play it because he didn't want to "stand around while the oboe played the only melody in the piece." Hans von Bülow. ... Henryk Wieniawski (July 10, 1835 Lublin, Poland - March 31, 1880 Moscow) was a Polish composer and violinist. ... Pablo Martín Melitón de Sarasate y Navascuéz (March 10, 1844 - September 28, 1908, pronounced Sara-SOT-tey), was a Spanish violin virtuoso and composer of the Romantic period. ...

Against these critics, modern listeners often feel that Brahms was not really trying to produce a conventional vehicle for virtuoso display, as his peers perhaps had expected him to; Brahms had higher musical aims. Similar criticisms have been voiced over the string concerti of other great composers, such as Ludwig van Beethoven's violin concerto or Hector Berlioz's Harold in Italy. “Beethoven” redirects here. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major was written in 1806. ... Painting of Berlioz by Gustave Courbet, 1850. ... Harold in Italy (Op. ...

The cadenza in the finale is notable for being accompanied by the orchestra.

Instrumentation

It is scored, in addition to solo Violin, for pairs of Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Bassoons; 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Timpani and along with Strings. â™  This article is about the family of musical instruments. ... For other uses, see Oboe (disambiguation). ... Two soprano clarinets: a Bâ™­ clarinet (left, with capped mouthpiece) and an A clarinet (right, with no mouthpiece). ... Bassoon Playing range of a bassoon The bassoon is the tenor member of the woodwind family. ... For other uses, see Horn. ... Trumpeter redirects here. ... A timpanist in the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ...

Technical demands

The Violin Concerto is considered one of the most important works in the violin repertoire. The technical demands on the soloist are formidable, with generous use of multiple stopping, broken chords, rapid scale passages, and rhythmic variation. The difficulty might be attributed to Brahms being chiefly a pianist (this may also explain the technical demands Tchaikovsky made in his violin concerto).^{[citation needed]} Multi-stopping means to play more than 2 notes (Conventionally) of string playing at a time. ... “Tchaikovsky” redirects here. ... The Violin Concerto in D major, Op. ...

Brahms's choice of D major for his concerto is significant. Since the violin is tuned G'D'A'E, the open strings, resonating sympathetically, add brilliance to the sound. Possibly for the same reason, this key has been used in several other concertos, such as Beethoven's, Tchaikovsky's, Schumann's (D minor) and Sibelius' (also D minor). Also see: D minor, or D-flat major. ... This article is about resonance in physics. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major was written in 1806. ... The Violin Concerto in D major, Op. ... Robert Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D minor, was his only violin concerto and one of his last significant compositions, and one that remained unknown to all but a very small circle for more than 80 years after it was written. ... The Violin Concerto in D minor by Jean Sibelius is his opus 47. ...

External links

• BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music (includes a .ram stream of a programme on the Brahms concerto)
• Violin Concerto was available at the International Music Score Library Project.