# Dvorak's Violin Concerto



## Olias

Here's a concerto that is amazingly virtuosic, very accessible to the general public, and has a formal structure that musicologists view as well-written.

So, why is it not performed or recorded as often as the Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, or Tchaikovsky VC? Is it that Dvorak's cello concerto is so monumentally great (and it is) that it overshadows the violin concerto? Sarah Chang loves the Dvorak VC and champions it wherever she goes. In my humble opinion it deserves to be up there with the first tier of violin concertos.

Is anyone else as in love with this piece as I am?


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## Conor71

I had not heard this piece until a few weeks ago and after listening to it I agree it is very fine and possibly an under-appreciated work .


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## Ravellian

I have only heard it a couple of times and I was not very impressed by it, although I was only paying half-attention. What is it about the form that makes it interesting?


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## Olias

Ravellian said:


> I have only heard it a couple of times and I was not very impressed by it, although I was only paying half-attention. What is it about the form that makes it interesting?


What's wild about it is how Dvorak plays around with Sonata Form in the 1st movement. He starts with orchestral fanfares and solo cadenzas alternating with snippits of what will become theme 1. He essentially develops parts of the theme before its even stated in its entirety. Then after the transition there is a GORGEOUS 2nd theme, a closing section, and a Development. BUT, right after the Recapitulation starts, Dvorak transitions into the slow movement, effectively truncating the rest of the sonata form. He does this to avoid repetition, keep the forward momentum going, and balance the length of the movement with the finale.

The second movement is gorgeous and the third is a lively rondo based on Czech folk rhythms and has an explosive ending. Give the piece another listen. It really is marvelous.


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## Delicious Manager

I too am astounded that this beautiful concerto is hardly ever played, when that grossly overrated Bruch No 1 can be heard just about every day either on the radio or in concert. I'm just sick, sick, SICK of it! Dvořák's concerto has been criticised for not having a big, fully-fledged double-exposition sonata-form movement. But then neither really do the Mendelssohn or the Bruch (No 1). 

The Cello Concerto (No 2 - did you know there is also an early Cello Concerto from the 1860s?) is much more 'traditional' in form. Also, the poor cello has far fewer concertos to choose from, so ignoring the Cello Concerto would deprive the repertoire of one of its most important works. Ignore the Dvořák Violin Concerto and there are still many left to choose from (not thet I'm suggesting it's right to ignore it!).


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## ScipioAfricanus

the 2nd movement of dvorak's violin concerto is simply awesome.


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## Art Rock

I was compiling my 10 favourite violin concertos yesterday, and this is one of them.


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## emiellucifuge

Art Rock said:


> I was compiling my 10 favourite violin concertos yesterday, and this is one of them.


Will you share them?


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## Olias

ScipioAfricanus said:


> the 2nd movement of dvorak's violin concerto is simply awesome.


I just did a score study of the second movement this past weekend. Its got some amazing structural features to it. Its in Sonata Form with lots of harmonic surprises and great use of the wind instruments.

A stroke of genius is when Dvorak recapitulates in the wrong key (Ab Major instead of F Major). When he gets to Theme 2 in the Recap he builds to a huge push that reestablishes F Major and THEN gives the closing phrases to Theme 1 in the correct key before going to the coda. Its so clever and seamless that its brilliant.


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## emiellucifuge

Olias said:


> A stroke of genius is when Dvorak recapitulates in the wrong key (Ab Major instead of F Major).


Genius indeed, but I wonder whether this has ever been done before or since?


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## Falstaft

In complete agreement as to the beauty and underratedness of this concerto!

Off-tonic recapitulations are not unheard of in classical sonata practice, though only the subdominant (IV) seems to get much sustained use there (examples in Mozart, and especially Schubert, crop up). The Dvorak, with a _flat-submediant_ recap would have been exceedingly rare for classical sonatas -- I know of no examples, and the closest I could get is Beethoven Pno Sonata in F op10/nr2 first movement, which boasts a recap in the sharp-major submediant (D-maj, or VI#). However, by 1879 I suspect venturing to the submediant for recapitulation was not necessarily a hugely shocking move -- I'd have to trawl through the romantic repertoire to fetch you any particular examples though.

*Update: Schubert Pno Trio #1 in Bb/i has a recap that begins in the submediant (Gb) but eventually course corrects its way back to the tonic before the first part of the recap is completed.


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## emiellucifuge

Well in any case its fairly logical, the flat submediant occupies such an important role in romantic music. Thanks for your research!


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## Olias

emiellucifuge said:


> Genius indeed, but I wonder whether this has ever been done before or since?


Oh sure, Beethoven and Schubert did it all the time. Its still a very stylish move considering how Dvorak works his way back to F Major for the second theme.


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## Falstaft

Olias said:


> Oh sure, Beethoven and Schubert did it all the time. Its still a very stylish move considering how Dvorak works his way back to F Major for the second theme.


I'm guilty of two errors -- first, I mistook Ab for the submediant when it is the movement's flat mediant (III). Still uncommon in classical music, but careless mistake on my part!

Second, I failed to acknowledge just how gorgeous and well-crafted that moment is you're talking about Olias. Before listening to it just now with an ear for keys in the recap, I had my favorite moments but wasn't really cognizant of what made them so effective -- sure enough the harmonic surprises you mentioned are exactly where the greatest heart-string-tugging happens for me. And the way he opens up back into F-major really is breathtaking, especially how he reinforces it orchestrally (and metrically, in an almost Brahmsian fashion, towards the end of the phrase). Thanks for brightening my appreciation for the piece Olias :tiphat:


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## Olias

Falstaft said:


> Thanks for brightening my appreciation for the piece Olias :tiphat:


My pleasure. I still find compositional gems in that piece. I'm going to tackle the 3rd movement this week and see what else I can find. Yes I'm a geek and I study orchestral scores for fun.


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## Art Rock

emiellucifuge said:


> Will you share them?


Not very spectacular I'm afraid.
In alphabetical sequence:

BARBER
BEETHOVEN
BERG
BRAHMS
BRUCH 1
DVORAK
MENDELSSOHN (my favourite)
SHOSTAKOVICH 1/2 (ex aequo)
SIBELIUS
TCHAIKOVSKY


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## Vaneyes

I've heard many Dvorak VCs, and most were dismal experiences. So far, the Suwanai/Fischer pleases me the most.

Mutter recently played it with the LSO, and supposedly it will be released on the LSO Live! label. I'm anxious to hear that.


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## Olias

Love the Suwanai recording. This one is MARVELOUS as well:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=101483


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## jurianbai

this maybe the last major violin concerto I only get recently. it is Maxim Vengerov version. I've listen to this many times in youtube, mostly by female violinist. LOVE THISS!! Lots of virtuosity a la Romanticism, with reknown Dvorak's melodious style.


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## Taneyev

Milstein-Dorati
Oistrakh-Ancerl


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## creepie

Morgan Burroughs hello,


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## Op.123

creepie said:


> Morgan Burroughs hello,


Drew, go away, you don't even like classical music!!


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## lostid

Olias said:


> Is anyone else as in love with this piece as I am?


Yes I am. Truth is I am in love almost everything of his work I have heard so far.


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## DavidA

I really love Dvorak violin concerto. I think it may have lived under the shadow of his cello concerto for many years. But it is an absolutely delightful work full of good tunes. I have a really super version played by Sarah Chang. It also has on it the attractive coupling of the piano quintet which is an equally delightful work. I got it for next to nothing on Amazon and highly recommend it.
The one thing that always surprises me is that Heifetz never recorded it. It would seem to have been purpose made for him. I don't even know whether he even played it. Anyone know?


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