MAX BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 44.

 Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 44 with violinist, Salvatore Accardo and the GewandhausOrchester, Leipsig, conducted by Kurt Masur.

Max Christian Friedrich Bruch (6 January 1838 – 2 October 1920), also known as Max Karl August Bruch, was a German Romantic composer and conductor who wrote over 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which has become a staple of the violin repertory.

Bruch was born in Cologne, the son of Wilhelmine (née Almenräder), a singer, and August Carl Friedrich Bruch, a lawyer who became vice president of the Cologne police. Max had a sister, Mathilde ("Till").

He received his early musical training under the composer and pianist Ferdinand Hiller, to whom Robert Schumann dedicated his piano concerto in A minor. Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso Ignaz Moscheles recognized his aptitude.  At the age of nine he wrote his first composition, a song for his mother's birthday. From then on music was his passion, his studies having been enthusiastically supported by his parents. Many small early creative works included motets, psalm settings, piano pieces, violin sonatas, a string quartet and even orchestral works like the prelude to a planned opera Joan of Arc. Few of these early works have survived, however.

The first music theory lesson he had was in 1849 in Bonn, and it was given to him by Professor Heinrich Carl Breidenstein, a friend of his father. At this time he stayed at an estate in Bergisch Gladbach, where he wrote much of his music. The farm belonged to the lawyer and notary Neissen, who lived in it with his unmarried sister. Later the estate was bought by the Zanders family who owned a large paper mill. The young Bruch was taught by his father in French and English conversation. In later years, Maria Zanders became a friend and patron.

For more information on Max Bruch, please go to his Wikipedia page @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Bruch

Μπρουχ Mαξ (1838-1920)