Beethoven's only surviving violin concerto was written by the 35 year old composer specifically for Franz Clement, 26 year old principal violinist and conductor at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. The spur was a pre-Christmas concert planned for 23rd December 1806. Beethoven completed the work in a rush, as witnessed by his pupil Czerny, who noted that the work was completed only two days before the first performance, a fact supported by the surviving autograph score which is a mass of crossings out, corrections and alternative versions.

Clement certainly had little time to learn the work, and even less to rehearse it with the orchestra. It must have been a curious concert - as well as the new and under-rehearsed concerto, Clement played a piece of his own composition, on one string with the violin upside-down! The concerto was not a great success, and the press noted that "Beethoven could put his undoubtedly great talents to better uses".

As a result of the poor reception, Beethoven was persuaded by his publisher to arrange the concerto for piano and orchestra, a version which has survived, though never performed nowadays. Public indifference to the concerto continued through occasional performances for the next 30 years, and it was only Joachim's championing of the work in the 1840s, often with Mendelssohn conducting, that established the concerto's current place in the heart of the repertoire.

There is an element of mystery still about the solo part of the concerto. Beethoven's manuscript contains two different versions of the solo part - one seems to be his original thoughts, and the other is a technically simpler but more violinistic version which presumably reflects Clement's ideas (and perhaps reflects the lack of time for Clement to learn the harder version). Neither agrees with the published score, which includes aspects of both versions. But quite how far Beethoven was happy with this compromise is unclear, and likely to remain so!

An orchestral introduction presents the main themes of the first movement, whose opening five repeated notes permeate the whole movement, in a variety of guises. The overall mood is not showy, but serene and reflective, at times shot with a deep sadness. The movement is substantial (as long as an entire Mozart violin concerto) and allows the soloist to include a cadenza towards the end.

The second movement is shorter, and its design is simple: in essence a series of variations on a theme first stated by muted strings, above which the soloist weaves a delicate tracery of sound. An orchestral summons, and a brief solo cadenza lead directly into the finale.

The finale is based on one of the happiest tunes Beethoven ever wrote. The soloist plays it first, before the orchestra is allowed a turn. A number of other themes are interspersed among the reappearance of the main tune, most notable a minor key tune which is quickly passed to the bassoon, who allows the soloist to decorate it. After a short cadenza, the soloist and orchestra together bring the first of the great violin concertos to its positive conclusion.