Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, performed by violin soloist Julia Fischer and the WDR Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its principal conductor Cristian Măcelaru. Recorded live on June 27, 2025, at the Cologne Philharmonic Hall.


Johannes Brahms - Concerto in D major for violin and orchestra, Op. 77

00:00:00  I. Allegro non troppo
00:23:02 II. Adagio
00:31:58 III. Allegro giocoso


Julia Fischer, violin
WDR Symphony Orchestra
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor


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Introduction to the work:
While most working people enjoy their vacations as a long-awaited time of relaxation, many composers use the “summer retreat” to work even more intensively. It is usually the leisure time spent in nature that unleashes creative forces. This was also the case with Johannes Brahms when he took up residence in Pörtschach am Wörthersee in 1878. He had been planning to write a violin concerto for his friend, the violinist Joseph Joachim, for quite some time. Work progressed well in the rural idyll, and by the end of August, the composer was able to send Joachim a package containing the solo part of the first movement and the beginning of the last movement. Brahms was a trained pianist and was not familiar with the intricacies of the violin. And so he wrote in his accompanying letter to the violinist: "I would be satisfied if you would say a word, and perhaps write a few in: difficult, awkward, impossible, etc. The whole piece has four movements, and I wrote the beginning of the last one so that I would be forbidden from using any clumsy figures!Joachim's prompt reply proves helpful: “It is a great pleasure for me that you are writing a violin concerto (in four movements, no less!). I looked through what you sent right away, and you will find a note and comment here and there for changes.”


In addition to the two usual movements – the first movement and the finale – Brahms planned an adagio and a scherzo. He therefore had no intention of doing anything other than transferring the form of the symphony to the violin concerto. However, work on the two middle movements failed to get off the ground. In the meantime, however, a date has already been set for the premiere: the New Year's concert of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. So Brahms discarded the idea of four movements and, just two weeks before the premiere, composed a completely new movement, the Adagio. This left Joachim with little time to prepare before January 1, 1879. As a result, he struggled through the solo part rather than mastering it with confidence. Another all-too-human pitfall accompanied the performance: Brahms, who was conducting himself, forgot to button his suspenders before going on stage. His shirt slipped out of his pants and threatened to slide down to the floor. The audience, however, paid no attention to this and was thrilled by the new violin concerto.
(Text: Otto Hagedorn)