Composing the Violin Concerto

This chapter discusses Sibelius’s compositional processes in relation to his Violin Concerto in D Minor (op. 47). It considers concerto models, Sibelius’s study of folk traditions, and the composer’s revision process. It argues that compositional processes are shaped by performers, performance environments, cross-genre interests, and critics, as well as by the composer’s imagination. This chapter highlights violinists such as Wilhelm Burmester, alongside critics, especially Karl Flodin, who are part of the concerto’s compositional and revision history. The chapter also outlines the main structural and melodic features of the revised concerto.