Violin Concerto (Brahms)

The Violin Concerto in D major by Johannes Brahms, his opus 77, is one of the best-known of all violin concertos.

Technical demands

The Violin Concerto is considered one of the most important works in the violin repertoire. The technical demands on the soloist are formidable, with generous use of double stopping, broken chords, rapid scale passages, and rhythmic variation. The difficulty might be attributed to Brahms being chiefly a pianist (this may also explain the technical demands Tchaikovsky made in his violin concerto).

Related Topics:
Double stop - Tchaikovsky

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Brahms's choice of D major for his concerto is significant. Since the violin is tuned G'D'A'E, the open strings, resonating sympathetically, add brilliance to the sound. Probably for the same reason, this key has been used in several other concertos, such as Beethoven's and Tchaikovsky's.

Related Topics:
D major - Resonating - Beethoven

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