The great Romantic Era Hungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim was closely associated with Bruch's violin music, and had premiered Bruch's best-known work, the Violin Concerto no 1 in g minor (begun in 1857). A third of a century later Bruch wrote this third violin concerto (1891) for Joachim; not stopping there, he also composed this beautiful twelve-minute, single-movement concerto piece for him.

Bruch listed it among his best compositions. The work is a rich and melodic statement for the vituoso violinist, with the orchestra providing discreet support and coloration. The music is rhapsodic, moving from mood to mood, each with a new melody. Along the way Bruch pays tribute to Joachim's origins by evoking a Hungarian gypsy mood in the melody. At other times the music is like a love song. The composition ends in a shining F Major. Like much of Bruch's late music, this piece seemed old-fashioned to its initial audiences, and it did not gain a solid place in the repertory. A century later, there appeared to be gathering interest in strongly melodic, well crafted Bruch pieces like this one.

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