Johann Svendsen: Romanze for Violin and Orchestra, op. 26

Here's a walk down memory lane for PCO players. It was such a joy to have the wonderful violinist Anne McKee play this piece with us! Here's a lovely performance of Svendsen's gem with Terje Tønnesen, violin soloist and leader of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra.

Svendsen's Romanze for Violin and Orchestra, op. 26 is his most performed and widely published work. According to an anecdote, his Norwegian publisher, Carl Warmuth, himself an amateur violinist, had asked Svendsen to compose a piece for violin and orchestra. Svendsen could not find the time for this until one day in 1881 his pupils happened to miss their lessons. Taking the opportunity, Svendsen spent the afternoon and evening composing and orchestrating the whole Romanze. The following morning he presented it to Warmuth, who was very excited. Not for the first time, Svendsen failed to see the economic promise of a piece and sold all the rights for a modest price. The Romanze is yet another fine example of Svendsen’s profound knowledge of the orchestral instruments. The work’s solo part is fully playable by the amateur, yet presents proper challenges for the world-class violinist. It is one of the last works that Svendsen wrote during his years as an active composer. In 1883 he took up the post of conductor at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Throughout the nearly three decades that remained to him he was engaged in a career as a celebrated conductor, completing only a few occasional works - notes by Morten Christophersen, from Svendsen: Orchestral Works, Volume 1 (Chandos 10693)