The violin concerto is one of classical music’s most captivating forms — a perfect marriage of technical brilliance, emotional depth, and orchestral drama. From the elegant lines of Mozart to the fiery intensity of Tchaikovsky, composers across centuries have embraced the violin’s expressive power to create works that continue to challenge performers and enchant audiences.
At its best, the violin concerto is more than just a showcase for virtuosity. It’s a dialogue — between soloist and orchestra, between intimacy and grandeur, between human vulnerability and heroic defiance. Whether it's the poised lyricism of Mendelssohn’s E minor Concerto, the brooding introspection of Sibelius, or the vast spiritual journey of Beethoven’s D major, each great concerto opens up a unique sonic world.
This ranking of the 21 greatest violin concertos of all time aims to capture the breadth and brilliance of the genre. Some choices are obvious mainstays: Brahms’s noble and muscular work, Bartók’s taut modernism, or the aching poignancy of Berg’s memorial concerto. Others are less frequently performed but no less compelling — shimmering with invention, character, and soul.
We considered historical significance, technical innovation, emotional impact, and sheer musical magic. The result is not just a list of concertos, but a journey through some of the most thrilling and moving music ever written for the violin.
Whether you're a seasoned listener or discovering these masterpieces for the first time, this list celebrates the violin concerto at its most transcendent.
The greatest violin concertos of all time
21. Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 (1880)
Camille Saint-Saëns’ Third Violin Concerto blends French elegance with Romantic passion. Written for the virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, it showcases lyrical warmth, shimmering orchestration, and moments of fiery brilliance. The slow movement’s serene beauty contrasts with the finale’s rhythmic vitality, making it a staple for violinists seeking both expressiveness and technical flair. It remains his most beloved violin concerto.
We recommend: Itzhak Perlman; Orchestre de Paris/Daniel Barenboim (DG)
20. Ligeti Violin Concerto (1989-93)
First performed in 1990, György Ligeti's Violin Concerto can be a bewildering experience for the first-time listener – in particular its outer movements, where Eastern European folk themes are mixed with more otherworldly effects and where the musical argument can be difficult to follow at times.
Our regular contributor Stephen Johnson has called the concerto 'a kind of cornucopia of effects and techniques, a wild collage of atmospheres and colours.'
We recommend: Isabelle Faust; Les Siècles/François-Xavier Roth (Harmonia Mundi)
19. Bacewicz Violin Concerto No.3 (1948)
The Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz wrote no fewer than seven violin concertos, although the Sixth was not published or performed during her lifetime. Among these, it's quite hard to pick a favourite, though we'll opt for the Third for its expressive qualities, constant tonal and rhythmic surprises, and successful incorporations of folk music styles. Something for fans of Prokofiev, Bartók, Szymanowski and other adventurous 20th-century fiddle concertos.
We recommend: Joanna Kurkowicz; Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Lukasz Borowicz (Chandos)
18. Barber Violin Concerto (1939)
When Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto was premiered in 1941, 20th-century Modernism was at something of a high water mark in classical music. However, you wouldn't know it from this beautiful, lyrical concerto, with its echoes of Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. The first movement is sweet-toned and vigorous; the second has a plangent quality that can bring out goose pimples in the right performance, and a major-key resolution that can feel quite overwhelming.
We recommend: Gil Shaham; London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn (DG)
17. Schumann Violin Concerto (1853)
Robert Schumann's last completed work, the Violin Concerto in D minor is a wild, impulsive creation, and it's easy to make the case for it being the product of an unquiet mind. It also had an extraordinary genesis, involving ouija boards, messages from beyond the grave, Nazi propaganda and more. The slow movement itself can suggest a sense of dislocation, of searching in vain for a focal point. This questing, however, also gives the movement its heartbreaking beauty.
We recommend: Christian Tetzlaff; Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Järvi (Ondine)
16. Glazunov Violin Concerto (1904)
Glazunov’s only violin concerto is a lyrical gem, blending Russian romanticism with seamless structure and virtuosic flair. Unfolding in a single continuous movement, it features flowing melodies, lush orchestration, and an elegantly integrated cadenza. Beloved by violinists for its warmth and technical demands, the concerto balances emotional depth with classical poise, making it a perennial favourite in the repertoire.
We recommend: Ilya Kaler; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra/Camilla Kolchinsky (Naxos)
15. Elgar Violin Concerto (1910)
Elgar's concerto for the instrument is a substantial work, with a typical performance clocking in somewhere around the 50-minute mark. It's also one of the most moving pieces written for violin and orchestra, mixing that Elgarian solemnity with some dazzling solo writing. The work's constant multiple-stopping and rapid shifts around the instrument make it a challenging project for the performer. The composer himself made a recording with a young Yehudi Menuhin, which has remained in the catalogues ever since it went on sale back in 1932.
We recommend: Thomas Zehetmair; Hallé Orchestra / Mark Elder (Hallé). Here's what we thought.
14. Dvořák Violin Concerto (1883)
The outer movements of Dvorák's fiddle concerto, while pleasant enough, don't rank up there among the Czech composer's finest work. However, it wins a place in our rundown of great violin concertos thanks to its entrancing slow movement. This begins with a haunting melody played by the violin: the moment, near the end of the movement, when this theme gets another runout (courtesy of the full orchestra this time) is a piece of pure Dvořákian magic.
We recommend: Rachel Barton Pine; Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Teddy Abrams (Avie). Here's our verdict.
13. Korngold Violin Concerto (1945)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s only violin concerto blends lush late-Romantic lyricism with cinematic sweep, reflecting his Hollywood film-scoring brilliance. Themes from his movie scores are woven throughout, creating a rich, emotionally charged work that bridges classical tradition and filmic drama. Once overlooked, it’s now celebrated for its soaring melodies, virtuosity, and warmth — a standout among 20th-century violin concertos and a testament to Korngold’s unique voice.
We recommend: James Ehnes; Vancouver Symphony Orchestra/Bramwell Tovey (Onyx)
12. Prokofiev Violin Concerto No.1 (1915)
When it comes to Prokofiev's two violin concertos, it's quite difficult to nominate one over the other. Both are wonderfully dramatic, beautiful, and both rhythmically and tonally adventurous as you'd expect from this composer. The Second has that hypnotic middle movement: however, we'll take the First, for the first movement's tangy harmonies and abrasive sul ponticello sections.
We recommend: Vadim Gluzman; Estonian National Symphony Orchestra/Neeme Järvi (BIS). Read our review Read our review.
11. Mozart Violin Concerto No.5 (1775)
Which of Mozart's five Violin Concertos to choose for our list? Well, we've opted (by a whisker) for the Fifth Concerto. That's partly because the orchestra has more to do in this final concerto, where in the other four it has largely accompanied the violin part. But there's also that memorable Finale, with its so-called 'Turkish' elements: a nod to a contemporary craze for all things Ottoman.
We recommend: Sebastian Bohren; CHAARTS Chamber Artists/Gábor Takács-Nagy (Avie). Review: Mozart Violin Concertos etc
Best violin concertos: the top ten
10. Berg Violin Concerto (1935)
Alban Berg was a leading figure of the Second Viennese School – a musical movement that travelled from late-Romantic tonality into a chromatic, often atonal Expressionism. Some of this music can seem thorny and inaccessible. The sublime Violin Concerto, however, is Berg at his most emotional, and it is a quite beautiful work – one of the most unashamedly romantic and expressive such pieces from the 20th century.
We recommend: James Ehnes; BBC Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Davis (Chandos). Review: Berg Violin Concerto.
9. Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2 (1938)
Bartók 2 is a powerful fusion of folk-inspired rhythms, modernist edge, and structural ingenuity. Written on the brink of World War II, it reflects both urgency and lyricism. Its three movements showcase the soloist’s virtuosity while maintaining deep musical substance. Now a cornerstone of the 20th-century repertoire, it’s revered for its emotional depth, technical brilliance, and unmistakable Bartókian voice.
We recommend: Itzhak Perlman; London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn (Warner)
8. Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (1844)
The plangent, surging melody that opens Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, once heard, is never forgotten. The second and third movements are, in their way, just as memorable. The former, a soulful Andante, features a simple yet memorable melody that has all the songfulness and expressivity of an operatic aria. The finale, meanwhile, has some of the same quicksilver energy of Mendelssohn's much-loved overture to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
We recommend: Alina Ibragimova (violin), Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Vladimir Jurowski (Hyperion). We've reviewed this one too.
7. Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 (1948)
Shostakovich wrote two Violin Concertos: the Second is an understated piece that offers up its rewards slowly, but the First is immediately apparent as one of the greatest works ever written for violin and orchestra. In particular, the third movement – a deeply felt passacaglia – contains music of transcendent beauty. The searching, introspective violin melody, once heard, is never forgotten. A challenging piece for the soloist, Shostakovich 1 is instantly accessible to the listener.
We recommend: David Oistrakh (violin), Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra / Yevgeny Mravinsky
6. Beethoven Violin Concerto (1806)
Fascinatingly, Beethoven's essay in this genre languished in obscurity for several decades after its first performance in 1806. That all changed when the great Joseph Joachim gave a series of performances, conducted by a certain Felix Mendelssohn.
The concerto's first movement is long and relatively peaceful, and the Larghetto verges on the ethereal. The closing Rondo makes a decisive break with this air of contemplation. Beginning with a famous 'hunting horn' theme, it's a joyous and boisterous finale to one of the more serene violin concertos.
We recommend: James Ehnes (violin), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic / Andrew Manze (Onyx)
5. Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 (1866)
Max Bruch's three Symphonies are pleasant if unspectacular, but his First Violin Concerto is one of the pinnacles of the form. After a quiet opening, the violin grows in confidence, eventually unfurling its main theme over a taut, expectant background of timpani and tremolando strings. That main theme is filled with a sense of foreboding; the second theme is a sweeter, more lyrical affair. The middle movement has some of the power and emotion of the Adagio from Mendelssohn's concerto, before matters are rounded up with a typically exuberant showcase finale.
We recommend: Sonoko Miriam Welde (violin); Oslo Philharmonic/Tabita Berglund (Lawo Classics)
3. Brahms Violin Concerto (1878)
Joseph Joachim, who helped revive Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, also inspired another masterpiece: Brahms’s only work for violin and orchestra. Promised for years, it was completed after Brahms’s Second Symphony. The concerto is lyrical and emotionally rich, with moments of profound beauty—especially the sighing theme that gently interrupts the first movement’s more angular passages. A true showcase of violin artistry and orchestral depth, it was worth the long wait.
We recommend: Jack Liebeck; BBC Symphony Orchestra / Andrew Gourlay (Orchid Classics). Review: Brahms Violin Concerto.
Best violin concertos: the top three
3. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (1878)
Gosh, but 1878 was a good year for the violin concerto. Two great works by two great rivals burst forth onto a grateful world that year. First the Brahms above, then... With its high drama, unabashed emotionalism, rhythmic verve and sackful of good tunes, Tchaikovsky's might be the ideal violin concerto to unleash upon a classical music newcomer.
Not that the 19th-century critic Eduard Hanslick would have agreed, mind. Hanslick, conservative in his tastes, labelled the concerto 'stinking music'. Then again, Hanslick was famously close to Brahms, who had written his own violin concerto at around the same time. Tchaikovsky had been unimpressed with the latter.
Unfettered by this musical tribalism, we can recognise the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto for what it is: a hugely powerful, energetic and melodic piece of music in which the violin is used to beautiful, song-like effect across all three movements.
Recommended recording: Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), MusicAeterna / Teodor Currentzis (Sony). Here's our review of this marvellous disc, which also features Stravinsky's Les Noces.
2. Bach Violin Concerto in A minor (1717-23)
Either one of Bach's two concertos for solo violin could have made our list, as could the wonderful Concerto for Two Violins. If pushed, we might just select the A minor Concerto, which is blessed with one of classical music's most arresting openings, with the violin grabbing the music by the scruff of the neck shortly after the orchestral introduction. The slow movement is sighingly beautiful, and then there's that wonderfully carefree, exuberant Finale – in the style of a Gigue, in case you're wondering.
We recommend: Hilary Hahn; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra/Jeffrey Kahane (DG)
1. Sibelius Violin Concerto (1904-05)
Sibelius's only concerto saw the light of day right at the beginning of the 20th century. Its soundworld, however, is closer to the Romantic landscapes of Tchaikovsky or Mendelssohn.
Each of the three movements is bewitching in its own way. The opening Allegro features a long-breathed, haunting melody, faintly Slavic in flavour, with certain passages that reach a rhapsodic intensity. There's then a rather becalmed, reflective Adagio, before a terrifically exciting finale that has been compared to the sound of polar bears dancing on the snow.
Initially slow to gain recognition, Sibelius' composition is now recognised as one of the very finest violin concertos ever written, and for us it sits right at the top. A good performance can transport you effortlessly to the snowy wastes of northern Finland.
We recommend: Lisa Batiashvili (violin), Staatskapelle Berlin / Daniel Barenboim (Deutsche Grammophon).
Pics: Getty Images
