Tor Aulin was primarily a violin virtuoso and the first violinist of a world-famous string quartet. He had received in-depth training from the celebrated violinist Emil Sauret in Berlin and during the 1890s was regarded as Scandinavia's leading violin soloist. He was on close personal terms with Henri Marteau, Edvard Grieg, and Wilhelm Stenhammar, and the outstanding pianist Stenhammar often accompanied him. Aulin also made a name for himself as a composer. While his first two violin concertos are classified as exotic works even in Sweden, the third concerto composed in 1896 and thereupon published in Leipzig is one of his most popular.