Violinist Christian Tetzlaff flew back to Germany early Saturday morning, forcing cancellation of five of the six concerts he had planned to do this week in the Twin Cities.

He played Friday night with Minnesota Orchestra, but got word of an unspecified family emergency and flew back to Germany early Saturday morning. Tetzlaff lives in Bad Homburg with his wife and two young children.

In a unique arrangement, the internationally known musician was to play with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and also to give a solo recital Monday night, sponsored by the Schubert Club.

On Saturday evening at Orchestra Hall, his piece, the Szymanowksi Violin Concerto No. 1, has been replaced by Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn.

The Schubert Club is canceling the Monday night show. It said it hoped to be able to reschedule at a later date.

The SPCO is figuring out a new program for next weekend, when Tetzlaff was scheduled to perform three concerts, doing music of Mozart.

Critic Larry Fuchsberg heard Tetzlaff play with the Minnesota Orchestra on Friday night, and wrote this review of the concert for the Star Tribune.

Staff writer Graydon Royce interviewed Tetzlaff ahead of his Twin Cities visit. For that story, go here.