Dvorak's Violin Concerto was composed in 1879 and is one of the most performed works in the repertoire. The concerto has several features that make it unique among works composed by Dvorak's contemporaries.
The first movement has an unusual formal structure in that, although in sonata form, it features the soloist immediately without an orchestral exposition, has several mini cadenzas that sound almost improvisatory, and cuts the recapitulation short by transitioning to the second movement via a linked interlude.
The beautiful second movement follows a more traditional sonata form. Although the third movement is technically a hybrid of sonata form and rondo form, Dvorak's use of Czech dance styles such as the furiant and dumka highlight the composer's Slavic heritage to great effect, resulting in one of the most exciting finales in the concerto repertoire.
