1. The piece had a rather turbulent creative process
From the first few bars, it is already possible to recognise that Sibelius’ concerto is a one-of-a-kind musical masterpiece. The first note played by the soloist – an off-the-beat dissonance – sets the tone for a captivating opening melody that appears almost improvisatory. But, although the free flow of melodic lines might make it seem like the music poured seamlessly from the soul of the artist into the page, the truth is far from it.
Sibelius reportedly struggled to advance his musical idea, and it took him almost two years to go back to that opening and turn it into an actual piece. Moreover, his responsibilities as a father of three, his own struggles with alcoholism and the financial need to push the premiere date forward meant that he spent entire nights writing and re-writing melodies, and that he barely got to finish it on time for the first performance.
2. It is a 37 minute journey to the heart of Finland
If you’ve never visited Sibelius’ homeland, listening to this piece might help you get a pretty good picture of Finland’s scenic nature and landscapes. It is said that one can hear the blowing of the cold, crispy air in the string and wind sections, and the icy stillness of a Finnish lake in the lyrical second movement.
Moreover, the character of the piece has also been compared to the character of Nordic people, and it may offer a fascinating window into the inner world of Sibelius’ fellow countrymen. Conductor Kristjan Järvi mentions the tension that exists in the piece between bursting into passion and keeping its mystery to itself, and called this a ‘reflection of the Nordic self’. Many performers who have approached the task of bringing the music to life have defined it as a piece about both actual nature and human nature, so make sure to listen out for those magical sonic pictures of Finland.
3. Its first official performance was a disaster
When Sibelius wrote the piece, he originally intended virtuoso violinist Willy Burmester to perform the soloist part, but scheduling and financial complications meant that he had to be replaced by a lesser-known player not long before the premiere. Despite his best efforts, violin teacher Victor Nováček couldn’t do justice to Sibelius’ incredibly challenging violin writing, and the result was rather disappointing for both the audience and the composer.
4. There are two versions of the piece
After the disastrous first performance, Sibelius went back and modified the score, getting rid of simplifying multiple musical ideas in the process. The work premiered a second time with Karel Halíř as a soloist and Richard Strauss as the conductor, to a much greater success. Nowadays, almost all musicians play the revised version, but select performances of the original do take place and the original score continues to be studied as it provides interesting insight into the workings of Sibelius’ creative mind.
5. It is one of the most-recorded violin pieces of the twentieth century
Despite its complexity, the Violin Concerto is a favourite among professionals and students alike. Its earliest recorded performance by Jascha Heifetz in 1935 is still hailed by many as one of the greatest interpretations of the work, and the challenging third movement can make the prospect of performing this piece both exhilarating and terrifying for violinists everywhere.
6. It includes multiple examples of truly innovative orchestral writing
From the haunting modality of some of his non-major or minor melodic ideas, to the unusual lead-up to the first-movement cadenza solo passage and the use of rhythms from Scandinavian folk music, Sibelius combines aspects of Romanticism, Classicism and Nationalism to create a work that is both incredibly virtuosic and deeply expressive.
Unlike other concertos, in Sibelius’ piece the orchestra is given a central role in the development of ideas and placed in direct dialogue with the soloist. The virtuosity and density of some of the orchestral passages resemble later works from the likes of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and the delicate and mysterious introduction of the soloist stands in big contrast to the big openings composers like Wagner had championed during the 19th century, making it a one-of-a-kind piece.
7. The man who never was
Before dedicating himself to composition, Sibelius trained to be a classical violinist and dreamed to be a virtuoso. He longed to master the instrument and dedicated years to the pursuit of a performing career, but struggled with stage fright and ultimately couldn’t make up for the fact that he started learning relatively late. Having only picked up the violin at 14 years old, he never really got to play it in the way he imagined it, but his love for the instrument got another outlet when he wrote the Concerto.
In a way, this piece is composed for a kind of player that Sibelius never got to be, and it demonstrates his deep knowledge and passion for the instrument not only as a composer but as a trained performer. The technical and interpretative demands of the piece continue to challenge and enamour violin players to this day.
