Violin Concerto in E Minor, Opus 1, by Jules Conus— Historical, Performance, and Pedagogical Perspectives

This treatise provides an extensive look into the Violin Concerto in E minor, opus 1, by Jules Conus, and seeks to justify its inclusion into the ranks of the standard Romantic violin concerto repertoire. Written in 1896, and performed extensively by such artists as Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler, as well as the composer himself, the Conus Violin Concerto is an excellent vehicle for both teaching and performance. Biographical information on Conus, including his circle of influential musical friends, is included in the paper. A structural and harmonic analysis of the work is presented in the study, as well as a look at the orchestration of the concerto. A comparison of six available editions of the work follows, including biographical sketches of each editor. A detailed look at each edition includes an examination of differences of notes, articulations, and rhythm, as well as other anomalies. Both performers and teachers will benefit from the detailed examination of technical and interpretive challenges presented by the work, as well as the application of the technical mastery of the Conus to other works in the genre.