Bruch's Violin Concerto - A Classical Cousin
In the spring of 1866, Max Bruch's first violin concerto was debuted by celebrity violinist Joseph Joachim. Its auspicious beginnings paved the way for its permanent success; the concerto is still popular (here it's played by my favorite violinist, Gil Shaham). Bridging a gap wider than 150 years, Bruch's passionate melodies still have the ability to move us, bringing to heart a time period that can feel distant in pictures or even on paper. For comparison's sake, I found a Goodreads book list called " Popular 1860s Books ." It's really astounding to see so many famous books there, at a glance. High on the list is, of course, Little Women , whose recent Masterpiece Classic adaptation I've enjoyed watching on PBS (tomorrow is the conclusion!). Clearly great classics of art and literature did not appear within a vacuum. I'd love to think a writer somewhere in Bruch's audience was inspired by the story he tells with this piece.