b'Program Notescontinuednature of the performing ensemble who premiered the work, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and I wrote the piece with their dynamic in mind.InstrumentationstringsDuration3 minutesBenjamin Britten (1913-1976) Violin Concerto, Op. 15Composed 1939Benjamin Britten grew up without the gloom of war looming over his childhood, but as he moved into his 20s, the European political landscape was changing. In 1939, Great Britain declared war on Germany, entering into World War II. A declared pacifist, Britten moved to the US four months later, the US not being involved in the war at that point. After his return to the UK due to homesickness, a judge decided that it would be more beneficial for the greater good of Great Britain if Britten were to continue his work as a musician rather than be made to do non-combatant, war-related service jobs. Britten did exactly this, which helped him gain a reputation as Britains finest composer since Henry Purcell, 250 years prior. In 1936, Britten attended the International Society of Contemporary Music where he was to perform his Suite, Op. 6 (for violin and piano) with Antonio Brosa. At this same gathering, he heard the world premiere of Alban Bergs violin concerto and was greatly moved; a concerto as a requiem was the idea that inspired him to write his own big heavy weight concerto, as he so called it, in a similar memorial vein. Accordingly, the third movement of the concerto was conceived as a tribute to the British soldiers who had fallen against the fascists in the Spanish War.Brittens Violin Concerto premiered in 1940 with Brosa as soloist and John Barbirolli conducting the New York Philharmonic.'