Concerto

FRANZ BERWALD (1796-1868) is regarded today not only as one of Sweden's most important composers, but also, due to his symphonies and his chamber music, as a leading figure in the history of Northern European music of the 19thcentury. His compositions include, in addition to four symphonies and the chamber music, tone poems for orchestra, concertos, operas ('Estrella di Soria' and 'The Queen of Golconda'), cantatas, solo songs with pianoaccompaniment, piano music and much more.

Berwald's violin concerto in C sharp minor is the work of a young composer. The autograph score bears the date 1820; Berwald was 24 years old at the time.

After thefirstperformance the violin concerto fell into oblivion and was, as far as we know, never again performed in Berwald's lifetime. It was not brought to light again until 1903, when on May 19 the first movement was performed at theAnnual Celebration of the Academy of Music of Stockholm.