Why Brahms Dodged The Festival

Radio Record, 13 May 1938, Page 21

Why Brahms Dodged The Festival

acetic CONCERTO THAT WAS WRITTEN FOR JOACHIM’S VIOLIN

=-- RAHMS undertook a tour of the Italian cities in 1878, although in the same year a festival wag held at Dusseldorf at which Brahms should have been present. He made an excuse, however-gq rather foolish one, concerning the unsuitability of his clothes. This was probably made to hide a more serious reason, namely, the fact that he was working at his violin concerto. The work is a tribute of gratitude from Brahms to the great riolinist, Joachim, Joachim produced the work on New Year’s Day, 1879, at a Gewandhbaus concert in Leipzig. For some time before that things had not been going happily in the Joachim household. The violinist and hig wife had had a serious difference. Brahms had tried to steer the difficult course of continuing to be good friends with both, and Joachim had, unfortunately, taken that as a want of loyalty to himself, Not until Brahms entrusted Joachim with the production of his Second Symphony was the reconciliation complete. Joachim accepted the tribute in the generous spirit in which it was offered, =e [ ae eS

Sate SIS and the friendship was once more nrmly established. But while this Concerto was on the stocks, Brahms could not consult Joachim about it’ with the confident freedom he would otherwise have had. Nonetheless, Joachim always regarded it as his own, and played it constantly for many years. His interpretation of it wag very bold and big, as Brahms no doubt intended. Edited by the violinist, and adorned by a few cadenzas of Joachim’s own composing, the success of the premiere of the work promised well for a Happy New Year. At first the Concerto was misunderstood by the critics, and, in. view of its great technical difficulties, one of the writers dubbed it a "Concerto Against the Violin." Later, however, it came gradually into favour until, to-day, it ranks as" one of the most popular concertos in the violinist’s repertoire. There are’ three movements; «a fully-developed ° quick one, a serene slow one, and an energetic finale, in which we find some gay Hungarian colour. , Joseph Szigeti, violinist, and the Halle Orchestra, under Sir Hamilton Harty, play the work at 4YA on Thursday, May 19. ,