STRAVINSKY Violin Concerto + ENCORE | He Ziyu
Stravinsky was commissioned by an American patron to write a violin concerto for the Polish violinist Samuel Dushkin, who ended up being one of Stravinsky’s longtime collaborators. Stravinsky was initially hesitant, citing his own unfamiliarity with the instrument, but with some persuasion began the commission. For technical help with violin writing, he turned to world-class violist and violinist Paul Hindemith, who advised Stravinsky that his claimed unfamiliarity with the technical issues of violin playing might actually help him come up with new possibilities.
And, indeed, Stravinsky ended up coming up with a chord that he called the “passport” to the whole Concerto, and which is the first thing the violin soloist plays in every movement. It appears prominently throughout the whole piece and informs a lot of its harmonic flavour. Indeed, the Concerto is deliberately archaic in form, resembling Classical-era chamber music rather than a true virtuoso concerto. Stravinsky deliberately chose not to write cadenzas for the performer, saying that he was not interested in using the violin as a showboat.
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Violin Concerto in D (1931)
I. Toccata 0:00
II. Aria I 6:41
III. Aria II 11:26
IV. Capriccio 16:50
Applause 23:02
Encore: Andante from Bach's Sonata No.2, BWV1003 25:22
Applause 29:30
To wit, there is not very much that distinguishes the four movements apart from Stravinsky’s chosen tonal areas and a general tempo variation. In all of them, the angular violin writing pairs up with various instruments in the orchestra while the rest weave accompanimental textures around the duets that result. However, Stravinsky’s deft touch and sense of balance results in convincing musical forms, and there are some moments of genuinely beautiful lyricism in the Aria movements, while the Toccata and Capriccio both feature chugging, motoric rhythms.
Stravinsky’s ballet music has always been part of the concert repertoire since their earliest performances, but the Violin Concerto enjoyed no similar fate. Stravinsky’s own attitudes to the genre might have done him no favours (he said he was no fan of the “usual” Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart concerti), but even after its 1931 premiere, violinists were reluctant to pick it up. It was left to the ballet stage to bring him success again, and indeed, it took the great Balanchine two attempts at creating ballet scenarios using the concerto’s music to win over audiences. It has thus enjoyed a resurgence since the 1970s, though it largely still remains on the fringes of standard repertoire. (Thomas Ang)
He Ziyu, violin
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Hans Graf, Music Director
Recorded live at the Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore on 14 April 2023.
Audio and video: msm-productions (Singapore)