Introduction and Allegro for Harp, String Quartet, Flute, And Clarinet by Maurice Ravel (1905) – Written in only three weeks under a commission by the Érard harp manufacturing company to showcase their double-action pedal harp, Ravel exempted the piece from his official works and rejected it as one of his own. Despite this, it has remained a prominent part of the chamber repertoire. It highlights the harp as the soloistic instrument, written in G-flat major and lasting ten to eleven minutes. With the harp’s quiet melodies scaling the instrument, it sounds reflective and serene, with aching emotion pulling the piece along. 

Violin Concerto in D minor by Jean Sibelius (1904) – Sibelius only wrote one concerto, which is widely recognized as one of the best and one of the most difficult, featuring long solo runs and the famous cadenza in the middle of the first movement. It is a very symphonic piece, deviating from the usual concerto style. The composer himself was a violinist, and while he had great success as a performer, he never bloomed as a virtuoso like he planned since he started the instrument too late in life (in addition, he took over composition full-time). He wrote this piece to commemorate that, and his despair is evident in the main melodies.