Violin Concerto No. 2 (Joachim)

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor "in the Hungarian Manner", Op.11 is a Romantic violin concerto written by violinist Joseph Joachim (1831–1907). The critic David Hurwitz has called it "the Holy Grail of Romantic violin concertos."

This is a very long work (with a playing time over 45 minutes) and a very difficult one for the soloist. Practicing it has been likened by the violinist Rachel Barton Pine to "training to run a marathon".

The concerto is in no way a mere pyrotechnic display for the soloist. It is essentially symphonic in spirit and has rarely received an adequate recording. The work is in three movements that are marked:

1. Allegro un poco maestoso
2. Romanze; Andante
3. Finale alla Zingara: Allegro con spirito

The "Hungarian Manner" is in keeping with the Joachim's Hungarian heritage. However, like most people of the time, he did not distinguish between Hungarian folk music and gypsy music.

Alan Walker claims that Joachim performed the concerto, with Franz Liszt conducting, on 3 October 1853 in Karlsruhe on the opening day of the Karlsruhe Music Festival. This is incorrect: the concerto performed on that occasion was Joachim's Op. 3, Violin Concerto in One Movement, in G minor (1851); dedicated to Franz Liszt. The "Hungarian" Violin Concerto, op. 11 was written in the Summer of 1857, given its premiere on 24 March 1860 in Hanover, and published by Breitkopf and Härtel in 1861. (See: Beatrix Borchard, Stimme und Geige, Böhau, 2005, ISBN 3-205-77242-3, accompanying CD)

Selected discography

• Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 11 "In the Hungarian Style" by Joseph Joachim. Paired with the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 by Johannes Brahms. Performed by Rachel Barton Pine (Violin) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carlos Kalmar. Cedille Records: CDR 90000 068 (liner notes)