Violin Concerto No. 1

work by Henze

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July 14, 2026

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The Violin Concerto No. 1 by Hans Werner Henze, composed in 1947, is an early work that showcases his mastery of the 12-tone technique. This method, which dominated his compositions until 1956, involves arranging musical notes in a specific series. Henze considered this and other early works to be relatively simple, relying heavily on melodic effectiveness.1

This is distinct from Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26, a popular Romantic-era piece known for its lyrical melodies. It is also different from Richard Strauss's Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, a demanding work for French horn, and Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, a large-scale and lyrical concerto.234

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Hans Werner Henze
…of Henze’s early works, the Violin Concerto No. 1 (1947), demonstrated his mastery of 12-tone technique, which dominated his writing until 1956. Henze considered his early works, up to his Symphony No. 2 (1949), to be simple, or even primitive, as they depended greatly upon the effectiveness of his melodies.
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…of Henze’s early works, the Violin Concerto No. 1 (1947), demonstrated his mastery of 12-tone technique, which dominated his writing until 1956. Henze considered his early works, up to his Symphony No. 2 (1949), to be simple, or even primitive, as they depended greatly upon the effectiveness of his melodies.
Read More