Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, is one of the best-known and most frequently performed violin concertos of late classicism. It was written in 1806 and premiered on December 23rd of that year at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. Beethoven wrote the piece for his colleague Franz Clement, who also premiered it with Beethoven conducting. However, the first printing of the piece in 1808 was dedicated to Beethoven's friend Stephan von Breuning. The concerto was not well received and was rarely performed in the following years.
From 1844, seventeen years after Beethoven's death, the piece was revived. The then 12-year-old Joseph Joachim performed the piece under the baton of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in London. Since then, it has been one of the best-known and most frequently performed violin concertos and is regularly performed and recorded.