Violin Concerto No. 2 (Prokofiev)

The Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63, written in 1935 by Sergei Prokofiev, is a work in three movements:

1. Allegro moderato
2. Andante assai
3. Allegro, ben marcato

It was premiered on 1 December 1935 at the Teatro Monumental in Madrid by the French violinist Robert Soetens and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra conducted by Enrique Fernández Arbós.

The Spanish liked the premiere so much that they sent a delegation of musicians to thank Prokofiev afterward.

The first two British performances of the concerto were again with Soetens: in 1936 under Sir Henry J. Wood, and in 1938, under the composer. Soetens played the work many times, all over the world, concluding with the premiere performance in South Africa in 1972, when he was 75 (he continued appearing in public until age 95, and died in 1997, aged 100).

The concerto is more conventional than the composer's early bold compositions. It starts off with a simple violin melody related to traditional Russian folk music. The second movement's lyrical theme, first played by the soloist, reappears in the orchestra's somber lower register, accompanied by the soloist. The third movement's rondo has a taste of Spain, with the clacking of castanets each time the theme appears.

Apart from the solo violin, the concerto is scored for moderate-sized orchestra, including two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, snare drum, bass drum, castanets, cymbals, triangle, and strings.