P.I. Tchaikowsky, Violin Concerto / Listening guide

 
As, in his own words, "time heals all wounds", eight months after his disastrous decision to marry Antonina Miliukova, the Russian maestro Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was fully recovered. He had managed to put aside his dark thoughts – including a suicide attempt – and found an insurmountable antidote to preserve his sanity: the creative work.

Yet, even trapped in a marriage to Antonina in May 1877, he completed composing the opera Eugene Onegin the following month. But two months later, when the cohabitation became unbearable, he had no choice but to simply run away from Antonina. He took refuge in Italy. From Florence, he sent the finished Fourth Symphony to Moscow.

A new work

And in February 1878, from his refuge in Clarens, Switzerland, he wrote to his patron Nadezhda von Meck reporting on the state of progress of a new work:

"The first movement of the Violin Concerto is finished; tomorrow I will begin the second. Since the day I began to write this work, I have not lacked the appropriate state of mind. In such conditions, any aspect of fatigue disappears in the composition; it is, on the contrary, a continuous joy. One does not notice the passing of time, and if no one intervened I would be ready to write all day long."

The master, recovered
Tchaikovsky is happier than a clam at the Pension Richelieu, the composer's favorite quiet corner of Switzerland. And he is not alone. He is accompanied by his brother Modest and his young servant Alyosha. Soon, Piotr Ilyich will also receive a very welcome visitor: his disciple Iosif Kotek, a 23-year-old violinist who will be of great help to him in rehearsing certain complex passages of the new concerto, since the master does not have a good command of the violin. Kotek's suggestions will eventually persuade the master to write a new Andante and introduce modifications to the first movement. The young pupil, however, will refuse to premiere it because he does not feel capable.

Kotek and Tchaikovsky, in 1877

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op. 35
There was also a second violinist, Leopold Auer, who declined the honor of playing it on the grounds of the excessive difficulty of the composition. And as with the Piano Concerto No. 1, the work was premiered by someone other than the person for whom it was intended.
Adolf Brodsky, a Russian violinist, was commissioned to premiere it in Vienna three years later, on November 22, 1881, thus earning the dedication.
The critics were not favorable, but the public loved the work from the beginning. Until today.

It is unusual for a concert piece to become the protagonist of another story. But that is what happened five years ago, with the 2009 Franco-Russian film production, The Concert, where Tchaikovsky's work takes the lead role.

The rendition is by the German violinist (and also a pianist) Julia Fischer, accompanied by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by the Russian maestro Vasily Petrenko.

Movements - Listening Guide 

Following post-Romantic canons, the concerto is in three movements with the second and third movement connected without a pause:

00 Allegro moderato - Moderato assai   After the splendid orchestral introduction, the violin, after an introductory phrase, exposes the famous main theme, "moderato assai", at 1:14, to captivate the audience from the beginning. After the exposition (re-exposition, on double strings, 1:51), a "bridge" passage (2:26). Second theme, "molto espressivo" at 3:05. At 4:55, the violin begins to prepare what will be the vibrant attack of the main theme by the orchestra at 6:12. The violin, the protagonist, plays with ornaments and variations on the first theme at 7:45. Virtuosic scales by the violin at 8:49 lead to another attack of the main theme by the orchestra at 8:54, now more pompous and grandiose, although this time it will follow new paths. Orchestra and violin alternate one measure each (9:34) at the threshold of the cadenza: 9:43 (written by Tchaikovsky, it quotes the introductory motif at the beginning and both themes). Recapitulation: the orchestra takes the first theme, more lyrical and serene at 12:22 with the violin playing trills. Orchestra and violin dialogue. 13:29: second theme. Marked poco piu mosso (a little more moving) it heads to the end at 13:45, crescendo; orchestra and violin respond to each other at 15:45, then embark together on the conclusion to a brilliant finale.

18:32  Canzonetta. Andante. A sweet and melancholy theme, introduced by the orchestra. It is taken by the violin at 19:12. This is followed by the flute at 20:23. A second theme at 20:43. Development and variations. Clarinet and violin dialogue. Winds and woodwinds take the lead at 23:42, establishing a somber atmosphere, after which the third movement will enter without pause at:

24:41  Allegro vivacissimo. A rondo. The orchestra introduces a Russian theme, cheerful, which will immediately take up the solo violin at 24:55, with a brief intermission cadenza. At 25:02 the calm main theme is resumed. At 25:28 the tempo primo returns. A second theme, more lyrical, is introduced by oboe and clarinet at 27:27, taken up by the violin at 27:47, developing it. Return to the first theme featuring the violin, vivace, at 28:38, to quiet down at 30:01. Return to the tempo primo at 30:24. The orchestra takes up the second theme at 31:00, meno mosso, then individual instruments dialogue with it, including the violin, almost andante, at 34:07. Calm before the storm, at 32:12. The violin falls silent at 33:33 and the orchestra begins the resolution. At 33:48, a spirited final confrontation between violin and orchestra, heading toward the conclusion, full of panache and gallantry.