Aram Khachaturian - Violin Concerto in D minor (1940)

Khachaturian

(1903~1978/그루지야)

 

Violin Concerto in D minor

I. Allegro con fermezza (00:00)
II. Andante sostenuto (14:56)
III. Allegro vivace (27:13)

David Oistrakh, violin

Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra
Aram Khachaturian, conductor

Recorded in 1965

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                Amaury Coeytaux (vl). Spanish Radio and Television Orchestra - Michael Francis (cond.)

                Recorded live in concert on XXIX.XI.2013 at the Teatro Monumental, Madrid.

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Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto in D minor was completed in 1940 and dedicated to the Russian violinist David Oistrakh, who premièred the concerto in Moscow on September 16, 1940.^[1] Oistrakh advised Khachaturian on the composition of the solo part and also wrote his own cadenza that markedly differs from the one originally composed by Khachaturian. The concerto was initially well received and awarded the Stalin Prize for arts in 1941. The work became a staple of the 20th century violin repertoire, and maintains its popularity into the 21st century.^[2]

 

French flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal transcribed the piece for flute in 1968, with encouragement from Khachaturian. Rampal's transcription included a different cadenza in the first movement, but Rampal otherwise strove to adhere to Khachaturian's original.

 

The Violin Concerto was the second of three concertos Khachaturian wrote for the individual members of a renowned Soviet piano trio that performed together from 1941 until 1963. The others were: the Piano Concerto for Lev Oborin (1936); and the Cello Concerto for Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (1946).

 

The work is scored for solo violin and an orchestra consisting of one piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, one English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, tambourine, piccolo snare, cymbals, bass drum, harp and strings

 

Andante sostenuto

After an introduction featuring the bassoon and clarinet, the soloist enters with the movement's principal melody. The movement is notable for its variety of moods and the wide-ranging, highly expressive writing for the soloist. Toward the close, the soloist repeats the principal melody, but now played an octave lower, and with a 'dolce clarinet obbligato. After a dramatic orchestral outburst, the movement reaches its conclusion, as the violin's final sustained notes are supported by the horn and muted upper strings, along with descending passages in the flute, bassoon, harp and pizzicato lower strings.

Allegro vivace

A lively orchestral fanfare sets the stage for the soloist's introduction of the central theme of the finale, which is based on the second theme from the first movement. The movement is in rondo form but is heavily influenced by Armenian folk music and is reminiscent of a country dance.

 

Categories:

• Violin concertos
• Flute concertos
• Compositions by Aram Khachaturian
• 1940 compositions
• 1940 in the Soviet Union
• Compositions in D minor