Berg - Violin Concerto

The concerto bears the dedication 'To the memory of an angel,' referring to Manon Gropius, the teenage daughter of Alma Mahler and architect Walter Gropius, who died of polio in 1935. Berg was deeply moved by her death and composed the work in a rush of inspiration.

Berg completed the concerto in 1935, but it was one of his final works—he died later that same year from an insect bite that led to fatal blood poisoning. The concerto was premiered posthumously on April 1, 1936, in Barcelona.

In the second movement, Berg quotes the chorale 'Es ist genug' (It is enough) from Bach's cantata BWV 60. Remarkably, the opening four notes of the chorale melody coincide with the last four notes of Berg's twelve-tone row.

The concerto uses twelve-tone technique, but Berg uniquely blends serial method with tonal elements, making it more accessible than strict serialism. The incorporation of a Carinthian folk tune and the Bach chorale further bridges the gap between modern and traditional musical languages.