The Canzonetta trio section, with its beautiful horn solo, attempts to administer a calming vaccine. If Walton had a miraculous escape, the soloist will be no less fortunate to survive the poisonous, but exhilarating, virtuosity that courses through the veins of this music. The ending restores the tranquillity of the opening bars, only to be shattered by the biting attack of the 2nd movementвЂ™s tarantula, which enters unannounced. The lyrical subjects of the exposition become almost unrecognisably angular and dramatic in their treatment in the development section, providing both contrast and unity. The first movement demonstrates WaltonвЂ™s ability to change the character of his themes by rhythmical transformation. Superb! as good as Heifetz or Francescatti.вЂќ To Walter Legge, 18th April 1978: вЂњTalking of recordings have you heard Jung-Wha Jungs recording of mine.

In addition sheвЂ™s very easy on the eye.вЂќ

To Malcolm Arnold, 4th October 1972, about the recording made by Kyung-Wha Chung, conducted by AndrГ© Previn: вЂњWhat a girl! She has to be heard to be believed.

Both performances are fantastically good-I can hardly believe it-& wonвЂ™t J.H.

On the same day he wrote to Griselda Kentner: вЂњYou must get the recording your brother-in-law has made of my Viola & Violin Cons.

To Yehudi Menuhin, 21st April 1970, after recording both the Violin and Viola Concerto with him: вЂњYour playing is absolutely astounding, in fact I am unable to conjure up adequate superlatives for your interpretation and performance-nor can I thank you enough for having brought to life a dream which I thought would never come true.вЂќ.

In Moscow last week вЂ¦ I believe he would make a tremendous sensation, nothing like him having been heard over here since Kreisler at his best.вЂќ

To George Barnes, Head of BBC Third Programme, 31st January 1947: вЂњWould it be possible to bring over David Oistrakh the Russian violinist? I heard him in a quite stupendous performance of my Vl.

Walton was generous in his praise of artists who played his Violin Concerto. Heifetz recorded the work first in 1941 with Eugene Goosens (predating the composerвЂ™s 1943 revisions to the scoring), and again in 1950 with the Philharmonia under WaltonвЂ™s baton. Congratulations your most successful concerto.вЂќ Walton conducted the British premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on 1st November 1941, with Henry Holst as soloist.

Orchestra played superbly you would have been extremely pleased. The outbreak of war kept Walton at home, but Heifetz cabled: вЂњConcerto enormous success. Quite gaga I may say, & of doubtful propriety after the 1st movement-however you will be able to judge.вЂќ In the event the work was premiered in Cleveland, Ohio, on 7th December 1939. He wrote again to Foss: вЂњHaving been bitten by a tarantula a rare & dangerous & unpleasant experience I have celebrated the occasion by the 2nd movement being a kind of tarantella вЂPresto cappricciosamente alla napolitanaвЂ™. But shortly afterwards fate took a hand in shaping the character of the work. On 11th May 1938 he wrote to Hubert Foss from Ravello, Italy: вЂњIt seems to be developing in an extremely intimate way, not much show and bravuraвЂќ.

Happily, a simultaneous, lucrative offer to compose a film score was resisted by Walton. He accepted, stipulating that Heifetz, who had already commissioned a violin concerto from him, should give the first performance. In spring 1938 Walton received an invitation from the British Council to compose a violin concerto for the New York World Fair. Sitwell texts, including those by their sister Edith, were subsequently used in some of his best-known compositions, for example in BelshazzarвЂ™s Feast (Osbert) and FaГ§ade (Edith). He had formed a friendship with the brothers Sitwell (Osbert and Sacheverell), who took him under their wing. At the age of 16 he became an Oxford undergraduate but left after 2 years still lacking part of his degree. While a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, he began to compose. His family background was primarily singing (his father was a choirmaster). WaltonвЂ™s musical output, though relatively modest in quantity, includes substantial masterpieces, among them unquestionably the Violin Concerto.

Walton violin concerto op