The Austro-Hungarian Joseph Joachim (1831–1907) was one of the most influential violinists of his generation. In addition to his close friendship and musical collaborations with Johannes Brahms, he was the dedicatee of concertos by Schumann, Bruch and Dvořák, and was also highly regarded as an interpreter of J. S. Bach. Although he spent most of his life living in Berlin, he made regular visits to England (having first performed there, on Mendelssohn’s recommendation, when he was just 12), and gave many performances in London over the course of his career.

Joachim never joined the staff of the Royal College of Music – despite George Grove’s best efforts – but he did serve as an examiner from 1885. While his first encounter with students was not an overwhelming success (he ‘frightened the violin candidates’), he came to develop close ties with the institution, and in 1888 performed Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the College Orchestra.