Concerto for Violin in G Minor Max Bruch / Arr. Mark H. Hindsley

The Hindsley Transcriptions

Concerto for Violin (g Minor)

The concerto was first completed in 1866, and the first performance was given on April 24, 1866, by Otto von Königslow with Bruch himself conducting. The concerto was then considerably revised with help from celebrated violinist, Joseph Joachim, and completed in its present form in 1867. The première of the revised concerto was given by Joachim in Bremen on January 5, 1868, with Karl Martin Rheinthaler conducting.

The first movement is unusual in that is a Vorspiel, a prelude, to the second movement and is directly linked to it. The impression is gives towards listeners is almot like a smooth army march, yet an anticipatory feeling prevails throughout. The piece starts off slowly with the melody first taken by the flutes, and then the solo violin becomes audible with a short cadenza.

This repeads again, serving as an introduction to the main portion of the movement, which contains a strong first theme and a very melodic, and generally slower, second theme. The movement ends as it began, with the two short cadenzas more virtuosic than before, and the orchestra's final tutti flows into the second movement, connected by a single low note from the first violins.