Bruch Double Concerto Op. 88 in E minor for Violin, Viola and String Orchestra

Bruch's Double Concerto in E minor, Op. 88 is one of his final large-scale works, and one of the most rewarding pieces in the chamber orchestra repertoire for two string soloists. The original was written for clarinet, viola, and orchestra; this edition pairs it with Friedrich Gustav Lindemann's well-established violin arrangement, substituting the clarinet line with solo violin and placing the two string soloists in a sustained musical dialogue across all three movements. Paul Wood's orchestral reduction brings the full orchestral accompaniment down to string orchestra alone, making the concerto practical for ensembles without a full wind and brass section.

The orchestration started from Bruch's original score. The existing string writing was kept intact where possible; where wind and brass parts carry the melodic and harmonic weight, those lines have been redistributed into the strings, rewritten to be idiomatic while preserving Bruch's characteristic warmth and richness. The two soloists remain clearly at the front throughout, with the orchestra providing support and colour rather than competition.

Bruch at his late Romantic best is on full display here: long, arching melodic lines, lush harmonies, and a genuine sense of two voices in conversation. The violin and viola complement each other naturally, their different timbres giving the dialogue its character, and Bruch writes for both with obvious affection. It's a piece that rewards the soloists, the orchestra, and the audience in equal measure, and it's performed far less often than it deserves to be.

At 18 minutes it sits naturally as the centrepiece of a concert programme. This is a serious, substantial work that asks real commitment from everyone involved.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Violin + Solo Viola + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: Advanced (both soloists); advanced string orchestra
• Duration: approximately 18 minutes
• Violin arrangement: Friedrich Gustav Lindemann
• Orchestral arrangement: Paul Wood
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This suits conservatoire students and professional violinists and violists looking for a major double concerto that can be performed without a full symphony orchestra. It works well in chamber orchestra concerts, conservatoire programmes, and music society events where two advanced soloists are available and a substantial, less familiar Romantic work is needed. For conductors, it's one of the most satisfying options in the late Romantic repertoire for two string soloists: the music is genuinely great, and most audiences won't know it.