Violin Concerto op.15

Instrumentation: 3(II,III=picc).2(II=corA).2.2-4.3.3.1-timp.perc(2):glsp/cyms/tgl/BD/SD/TD-harp-strings

This masterly work was the first composition Britten completed after arriving in the USA in 1939. It combines virtuosic brilliance with elegiac lyricism, undoubtedly reflecting Britten’s growing concern with the escalation of world hostilities. After a period of relative neglect, the Violin Concerto has enjoyed a notable revival of interest in recent years, resulting in a number of new recordings.