The Chevalier de Saint-George, to whom we owe this violin concerto, was an endearing figure in late 18th-century France. Born in Guadeloupe, son of a planter and a slave, he came to France in 1753. There, he received an aristocrat’s education, and his exceptional talents won him many supporters, some of whom put him at risk of the scaffold after the Revolution. An excellent fencer, sportsman, dancer, poet and actor, it was in music that he shone brightest. It was with this virtuoso violinist, conductor and talented and prolific composer that François-Joseph Gossec founded the Concert des Amateurs. Gossec left him in charge when he was called to the Concert Spirituel.

The violin concerto in D major op. 12 no. 2, printed in 1773, is characteristic of the French Classical period. The 4-part string orchestra is accompanied by pairs of horns and oboes. The performer’s virtuosity is highlighted in a gallant exchange with the orchestra, where elegance is always the order of the day.