"From the first time I heard it, I found this piece so exciting and so passionate. It instantly became one of my favorites and that has never changed.

 

Initially, I was mostly enthusiastic about the virtuosic and beautiful solo part. Over the years, as I played it with many orchestras, I came to appreciate the colors of the orchestration more. The work has a richness in color, texture and character which is quite unique in the violin repertoire.

 

Sibelius combined two very different forms — the orchestral tone poem and the romantic violin concerto — into one work! The orchestral tuttis are epic in scale and some of the best orchestral writing in any concerto.

The first movement is full of musically depicted jagged cliffs, misty woods, and epic struggles. The opening is unforgettable and so beautiful. For me, the opening violin line is the passionate, romantic human protagonist, floating and soaring above the foggy orchestral texture and struggling against the surrounding world. You immediately know that this is not going to be just a story, but an epic tale!

 

The slow movement is intimate and warm — we have moved indoors and are protected from nature’s violent force. The theme expands slowly, with an inner pulse that keeps it moving forward despite the slow pace.

 

The last movement is a wild ride full of virtuosic pyrotechnics. There is a riding rhythm in the lower strings, and an opposite riding rhythm in the timpani, resulting in a rumbling texture — like a whole horde that isn’t elegantly riding in a synchronized way, but rather galloping wildly!"

 

Hear Hadelich perform the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the San Diego Symphony under the direction of Rafael Payare at the Jacobs Music Center on November 14 and 15.