The German musician Ludwig Spohr was born in Brunswick in 1784. At the age of fourteen he was leading Brunswick’s court orchestra and he went on to establish himself as one of the most versatile musicians in Europe. His violin concertos served as a vehicle for his own particular synthesis of the French style of violin playing with that of Mozart, whom he greatly admired. The Seventh Concerto, composed in 1814, is among the most characteristic, demonstrating a strong dramatic sense, a relatively conservative respect for classical form, and a command of the contemporary technical possibilities of the violin. The Twelfth Concerto, written in 1828, was the first of Spohr’s three concertinos. It is highly operatic in style, with abundant melodies, a demanding solo part for the violin, and a strong sense of drama.