Sergei Prokofiev · Professional · violin
How to play Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63 is in G minor and sits at the professional level. Frequent professional and major-competition concerto choice; a test of both Prokofiev's lyricism and his motoric rhythmic style. The fastest way through it is to name the passage that keeps breaking, on the same five dimensions a panel listens for, and fix that one first.
The hard passages
- Long-breathed lyrical lines opening unaccompanied in the first movement
- Spinning a radiant, sustained cantabile over pizzicato accompaniment in the Andante assai
- Driving, heavily accented rhythm and the asymmetric 5/4 tumultuoso coda in the finale
- Rhythmic precision with castanets and percussion in the dance-like finale
What panels listen for
A seamless singing line in the Andante, rhythmic bite without harshness in the finale, and rock-solid control through the shifting meters.
Frequently asked
How hard is Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63?
Professional level. Standard professional/major-competition 20th-century concerto; far beyond the Suzuki sequence and a fixture of top-tier audition lists.
What tempo is Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63?
I. Allegro moderato; II. Andante assai; III. Allegro, ben marcato (with a tumultuoso coda in 5/4). Movement keys other than the overall G minor are not consistently documented in canonical sources, so only the work key is asserted here.
What are the hardest parts of Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63?
The passages that trip players up: Long-breathed lyrical lines opening unaccompanied in the first movement, Spinning a radiant, sustained cantabile over pizzicato accompaniment in the Andante assai, Driving, heavily accented rhythm and the asymmetric 5/4 tumultuoso coda in the finale, Rhythmic precision with castanets and percussion in the dance-like finale.
How can I tell if I am ready to perform Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63?
Talk it through with the teacher, free, no signup. Play your take of Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63, get the one specific fix that is holding you back, then run it again. The teacher listens every day, not just at lesson time.
More violin pieces
Stuck on a passage in Violin Concerto?
Name the passage and what it does wrong. Real fix in 30 seconds. Free to try, no card.
Name the passage that breaks