Sibelius: Violin Concerto; Six Humoresques (CD)
$12.95
As a young man, Sibelius dreamed - not just figuratively but literally - of becoming an internationally acclaimed violin virtuoso. Sibelius` best mature compositions, however, are free of mere showmanship and his Violin Concerto might be the composer's attempt to reconcile the world of the flashy virtuoso with that of the brooding, Nordic ascetic. Whether this reconciliation occurred or not is a matter of opinion but the reservations of music critics (including Joseph Joachim) have not prevented the work from becoming one of the most popular violin concertos.