Masterclass: Augustin Hadelich on Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Part 1

AugustinH-2012-Trieste, cr Luca Valenta

In the first of a two-part article, Hadelich discusses timing, tradition and character in the acrobatic first movement. From the December 2016 issue

This is one of the happiest movements that Tchaikovsky wrote, probably inspired by love. In 1878 he spent several weeks near Lake Geneva, where he was joined by his student Iosif Kotek. Kotek, who had premiered the Waltz-Scherzo a few years earlier, helped to write the virtuosic passages of the concerto; Tchaikovsky would have dedicated it to him if gossip of their forbidden love affair hadn’t already been threatening his reputation in Russia.

Instead he chose to dedicate the piece to Leopold Auer, who delayed the first performance for so long that Tchaikovsky finally withdrew the dedication and gave it to Adolph Brodsky. Brodsky played the premiere in Vienna in 1881. The movement is full of ballet-like jumps, figurations and Classical gestures; Mozart’s influence (Tchaikovsky’s diary referred to him as a ‘musical Christ’) can clearly be heard, for example in the first theme (bar 28), which also resembles the Rococo Variations. The second theme (bar 69) is more sentimental and passionate, with suspensions like longing sighs.

I was twelve when I first tackled this concerto…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.