Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, is arguably one of the best-known and most beloved violin concertos of all time. Here it is performed by Joshua Bell (violin) and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. The concert took place on December 8, 2010, at the Stockholm Concert Hall on the occasion of the 2010 Nobel Prize awards ceremony.
(00:00) Coming on stage
(00:28) I. Allegro moderato – Moderato assai
(19:44) II. Canzonetta. Andante
(26:22) III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo
The genesis of Tchaikovsky's only concerto for violin and orchestra was not unproblematic. In 1877, the Russian composer was experiencing a grave crisis: his marriage had broken down before it had even begun, and his romantic love for his former pupil Iosif Kotek (1855–1885) had to be kept secret as it was considered taboo. The result was severe depression. In the spring of 1878, Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) traveled to Clarens in Switzerland to recuperate. In the idyllic landscape on Lake Geneva, he composed his violin concerto within a few weeks – in the presence of Kotek, who as a violinist became an advisor on playing technique. The dedication and premiere of the solo concerto was also problematic. Dedicating it to Kotek was out of the question, and he also declined to play at the premiere. Hungarian violin virtuoso Leopold Auer also turned it down, considering the violin part unplayable. In the end, Tchaikovsky dedicated his concerto to Russian violinist Adolph Brodsky, who performed at the premiere in Vienna in 1881. The concert attracted attention: while Brodsky was celebrated for his virtuosity, the audience had nothing but disdain for Tchaikovsky's composition, which received disparaging reviews. But after Brodsky's premiere, Auer revised his original negative opinion and subsequently became a passionate champion of the work which achieved worldwide fame as early as 1882.
Nowadays, it is difficult to understand what could have caused the negative reaction of the premiere audience. Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is a thoroughly romantic solo concerto. It is incredibly suspenseful and in places reminiscent of the great works of film scoring. The highlight is undoubtedly the cadenza, which, unusually, is in the middle of the first movement (10:17). The most beautiful moment is perhaps when the orchestra comes back in again after this virtuoso solo performance and the flute intones the theme of the movement (13:33). More emotion, beauty and romantic expression is hard to imagine.
Joshua Bell plays the Stradivarius “Gibson ex Huberman” (built in 1713), which was stolen in 1936 from its then-owner, Bronisław Huberman, and later came into the possession of Norbert Brainin. Joshua Bell was able to acquire the violin in 2001.
© 2010 Accentus Music
You can find more great pieces here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBV5A14dyRWy1KSkwcG8LEey
More violin music here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBWJ5t7LxFkBRlcTu4qHdo67
And more famous works by the Russian composer here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBXeqiLcYJCB2Ct1lqIDtivN
Subscribe to DW Classical Music: youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
#romanticmusic #violinconcerto #tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, is arguably one of the best-known and most beloved violin concertos of all time. Here it is performed by Joshua Bell (violin) and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. The concert took place on December 8, 2010, at the Stockholm Concert Hall on the occasion of the 2010 Nobel Prize awards ceremony.
(00:00) Coming on stage
(00:28) I. Allegro moderato – Moderato assai
(19:44) II. Canzonetta. Andante
(26:22) III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo
The genesis of Tchaikovsky's only concerto for violin and orchestra was not unproblematic. In 1877, the Russian composer was experiencing a grave crisis: his marriage had broken down before it had even begun, and his romantic love for his former pupil Iosif Kotek (1855–1885) had to be kept secret as it was considered taboo. The result was severe depression. In the spring of 1878, Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) traveled to Clarens in Switzerland to recuperate. In the idyllic landscape on Lake Geneva, he composed his violin concerto within a few weeks – in the presence of Kotek, who as a violinist became an advisor on playing technique. The dedication and premiere of the solo concerto was also problematic. Dedicating it to Kotek was out of the question, and he also declined to play at the premiere. Hungarian violin virtuoso Leopold Auer also turned it down, considering the violin part unplayable. In the end, Tchaikovsky dedicated his concerto to Russian violinist Adolph Brodsky, who performed at the premiere in Vienna in 1881. The concert attracted attention: while Brodsky was celebrated for his virtuosity, the audience had nothing but disdain for Tchaikovsky's composition, which received disparaging reviews. But after Brodsky's premiere, Auer revised his original negative opinion and subsequently became a passionate champion of the work which achieved worldwide fame as early as 1882.
Nowadays, it is difficult to understand what could have caused the negative reaction of the premiere audience. Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is a thoroughly romantic solo concerto. It is incredibly suspenseful and in places reminiscent of the great works of film scoring. The highlight is undoubtedly the cadenza, which, unusually, is in the middle of the first movement (10:17). The most beautiful moment is perhaps when the orchestra comes back in again after this virtuoso solo performance and the flute intones the theme of the movement (13:33). More emotion, beauty and romantic expression is hard to imagine.
Joshua Bell plays the Stradivarius “Gibson ex Huberman” (built in 1713), which was stolen in 1936 from its then-owner, Bronisław Huberman, and later came into the possession of Norbert Brainin. Joshua Bell was able to acquire the violin in 2001.
© 2010 Accentus Music
You can find more great pieces here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBV5A14dyRWy1KSkwcG8LEey
More violin music here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBWJ5t7LxFkBRlcTu4qHdo67
And more famous works by the Russian composer here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBXeqiLcYJCB2Ct1lqIDtivN
Subscribe to DW Classical Music: youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
#romanticmusic #violinconcerto #tchaikovsky
