Although he is fondly remembered for his many exemplary film scores composed during the Second World War, Korngold's more "serious" concerto works -- particularly those written after the war -- are becoming increasingly well-respected and widely performed. Chief among those works gaining tremendous popularity is his violin concerto. Hints of the sweep and grandeur of the film genre can still be heard in the concerto, but never to the point where Korngold's music sounds trite or unpolished. Rather, Korngold casts the violin ...
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Although he is fondly remembered for his many exemplary film scores composed during the Second World War, Korngold's more "serious" concerto works -- particularly those written after the war -- are becoming increasingly well-respected and widely performed. Chief among those works gaining tremendous popularity is his violin concerto. Hints of the sweep and grandeur of the film genre can still be heard in the concerto, but never to the point where Korngold's music sounds trite or unpolished. Rather, Korngold casts the violin in a decidedly Romantic style while still managing to include snippets of previous film scores, making for an easily accessible listening experience. Contrasting sharply with Korngold's increasing popularity is Lithuanian composer Balys Dvarionas. Like Korngold, his Violin Concerto of 1948 is very much in the neo-Romantic tradition, with highly lyrical solo lines and impressively rich orchestral tuttis. Why this concerto exists in obscurity is a mystery as it is entirely satisfying....
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