Books › An Encyclopedia of the Violin, 1925 › scan 275
Scan 275
An Encyclopedia of the Violin, 1925
28 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 247. See the scan on archive.org.
1This magnificent work is more musical than it is violinistic, and contains numerous passages in which violence rather than strength must be employed to vanquish the difficulties which present themselves. When Brahms showed the manuscript of his Concerto to Wieniawski, the latter declared that it would be impossible to play it, and it is quite probable that Joachim made a number of alterations before producing it in public. The hand of Brahms is in evidence in Joachim's own Hungarian Concerto, just as Joachim's intervention in this Concerto of Brahms is clearly to be recognized. We know that Chausson's "Poème" was reconstructed by Ysaye; and we rather imagine that Sarasate influenced the Saint-Saëns "Concerto in B Minor."
3The Brahms Violin Concerto should be regarded as a symphony with a solo violin, whose majesty lends surprising relief to the imperishable beauties of this powerful work. In order to play it well the violinist must rise above all trifling considerations, all personal interests, since it is an aristocratic work and one which must be played royally. In it the player must show that he is an accomplished musician, and all the little customary tricks of the virtuoso are out of place in a composition of such grandeur of conception and wide scope of musical interest.
5I will begin my consideration of the Brahms Concerto with the first measure of the solo, and continue by periods of 30 measures.
7Allegro Non Troppo
9\[
10\left( \frac{d}{\cdot} = 126 \right)
11\]
131
15The first measure should be declaimed, without hurrying the tempo, and with a very broad détaché.
17Sustain the first F of measure 4.
18Play the chord in measure 5 without harshness.
19The first D of measure 8 should be played in sustained fashion.
20From measures 9 to 13 introduce a crescendo, forte to fortissimo.
21The sextolets and the quintuplets in measures 13 to 22 should be played very calmly, and without conveying the impression that the player is anxious to finish with them.
22Measures 23 to 26 should be played with a spiccato closely approaching a détaché.
23Measures 27 to 30 should be played in the following manner:
25
27observing the — over the D.
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