Discovering the hidden gems of violin repertoire
Violin concertos by prominent composers such as Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn, among others, have become timeless mainstays of the repertoire. Beyond these great works lies an entire realm of undiscovered violin music, full of hidden gems and lesser-known violin pieces that will elevate your musical palette and stimulate your creative mind.
The twentieth century produced a number of incredible concerti that are now pretty well established, for example, Shostakovich (particularly his First), Barber, Berg, Bartók (particularly his Second), and Prokofiev. In addition, there are works still sighted somewhat rarely in concert halls, yet recorded and discussed in great detail, like Korngold, Shostakovich (his Second), and Khachaturian. More recently, there are modern classics by Lutoslawski, John Adams, John Corigliano, and Alfred Schnittke.
Today we are delving into more obscure works of the violin repertoire to broaden our awareness and appreciation of their impact. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are the all-time official greatest unknown violin concertos for your consideration:
- Robert Schumann - Violin Concerto
- John McCabe - Violin Concerto no. 2
- Hans Gál - Violin Concerto
- Hans Gál - Concertino for Violin and Strings
- Kurt Schwertsik - Violin Concerto
- Mieczysław Weinberg - Violin Concerto
- Karl Amadeus Hartmann - Concerto funebre
- Ferruccio Busoni - Violin Concerto
- Einojuhani Rautavaara - Violin Concerto (1976-77)
- Deborah Pritchard - Violin Concerto “Wall of Water”
- Philip Sawyers - Violin Concerto
- Robert Fokkens - Violin Concerto
- Christopher Gunning - Violin Concerto
Exploring unknown composers
Familiarizing yourself with some unknown composers is a great way to discover overlooked violin pieces. One of the hidden treasures on the list above was written by Deborah Pritchard synesthetically in response to the remarkable series of paintings by visual artist Maggi Habling, “Walls of Water.”
Pritchard’s one movement concerto was created for the violinist Harriet Mackenzie and is one of several pieces she had written in collaboration with Habling. It is a dark and intense work, but also very beautiful, earning Pritchard critical acclaim as one of those rare compositions that will take one’s breath away.
Adding variety to your practice
Among the biggest benefits to discovering these marvelous musical influences is building your knowledge and awareness of a diverse music selection, so you can learn about a myriad of unique pieces and develop your expanding repertoire. You can incorporate new techniques and sounds into your practice, become more inspired, and increase your skills and abilities. Whether or not you choose the most difficult violin pieces to play, you will find that learning more about the repertoire brings fun challenges along with boosting your overall confidence and satisfaction playing violin music.
