Not every composition in the classical repertoire was an instant success for the composer when first performed. While Tchaikovsky was worlds beyond a one-hit wonder, his now famous Violin Concerto in D Major was initially panned and declared unplayable by Leopold Auer, head of the Violin Department at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. “This concerto is notoriously difficult because of its thousands of notes that often quickly cover an enormous range on the violin,” said award-winning violinist Soovin Kim.
Kim, along with conductor Piotr Gajewski and the National Philharmonic, will present the piece on Saturday night at the Music Center at Strathmore. “These difficulties combined with the excitement that is innate in the music can result in an unintentionally aggressive sound, likely the reason that the concerto was given such a bad reception at its premier,” Kim said.
| Onstage |
| Tchaikovsky’s ‘Violin Concerto’ |
| Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda |
| When: 8 p.m. Saturday |
| Info: $32 to $79, ages 7 to 17 free, 301-581-5100, strathmore.org |
But difficult for some violinists can be a delightful challenge for others. Three years after the failed premier, Tchaikovsky’s friend at the conservatory, Adolph Brodsky, continued to play the concerto throughout Europe. Eventually, the Violin Concerto in D Major gained the respect it deserves, as it continues to be enjoyed today.
The concerto, like so much of Tchaikovsky’s music and ballet scores, has a fantastical, otherworldly feel.
“The violin soloist’s role is that of a storyteller spinning a tale that expresses beauty, yearning, despair, resignation, joy and triumph,” Kim continued. “The gamut of emotions covered explains why Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto feels like such a journey.”
Indeed, Tchaikovsky wrote the piece at a resort on the shores of Lake Geneva, where he was recovering from a depression brought on by a disastrous marriage. He did recover, and the beauty of the concerto came shining through.
“As a violinist, this concerto is particularly enjoyable to play because of its lyricism,” Kim said. “Tchaikovsky wrote melodies of such beauty that the violin loves to sing from deep within.”
The program includes Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, which was composed in 1888 as an homage to providence.
