# Mendelssohn violin concerts



## Daniel

Mendelssohn didn't write only the e-minor concert. In his childhood he wrote a concert for violin and strings in d-minor and a concert for piano, violin and strings, also d-minor . The first in age of 13, the second in age of 14.
They can be characterized as ingenious, especially in his age. His violinconcert is based on french style, and I like it very much. I played it myself with violin not long ago. More worse than good, because it isn't the easiest piece (for me, haha).
And then since 1838 Mendelssohn wrote his e-minor concert. He wrote this such beautifull concert for the leader of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig and friend Ferdinand David.
The concert, with the so beautifull theme combines the parts like in Mendelssohns piano concerts. He finished the work 1844. Its premier perfomance was 1845.

This concert is one of the best concerts ever written. It combines depth and virtuosity.
Actually there are two versions of this concert. One is a bit more virtuos. This is the second version. (It is played nearly every time today). But i found a recording with the first version. It's interesting to hear some differences.

Whats your opinion about Mendelssohns violin concerts? What are favourite recordings?


----------



## max

I played the Mendelssohn e minor a few years ago. I love the piece, but I def. need a rest from it, since it is so over played... But it is one of the greatest violin concertos, without any doubt.

My favorite recording is def. the Heifetz recording, not sure why... Still can't believe how fast the 3rd mov't is!


----------



## Daniel

Unfortunetly i dont have the Heifetz, but i will search for it. The Milstein is rather fast too :blink: 

You are right it is overplayed so much!


----------



## Poeme_elegiaque

I have played the 1st mov from d minor concerto and I have also examined the whole concerto  I liked to play the 1st mov but maybe its more like an etude... The 2nd mov is with very beautiful melody...and the 3rd mov is fast and technical but cool to play and listen.... I think Mendelssohn II violin concerto is a cool and useful piece...Much better than Seitz concertos hehe


----------



## kennychoy_126

The is the original version of the E minor concerto coming out soon from Barenreiter.


----------



## Daniel

This is interesting. I have a recording of the original version of the e-minor concerto in the world premiere recording (Isabelle van Keulen and the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam with lev Markiz conducting). It is really interesting. But I wonder how far such recordings or prints are in the idea of the composer, if he edited a work and made a second and improoved version for prints and perfomances.

Greetings,
Daniel [size=-1]

[/size]


----------



## Manuel

max said:


> My favorite recording is def. the Heifetz recording, not sure why... Still can't believe how fast the 3rd mov't is!


If you like the old violin school you should get Szigeti and Kreisler on this work. They were real masters, even with so overplayed stuff like this.


----------



## oisfetz

Recommended: A CD with 3 recordings of the E minor v.c.:
Heifetz-Beecham,1949
Milstein-Walter,1945
Oistrakh-Kondrashin 1949
ARKADIA 78576
But my absolute favorite version is CAMPOLI-BOULT, 1958. Just extraordinary IMO
About the other D Minor, there's at least 2 Menuhin's recordings. Both great.


----------



## opus67

I'd like your opinions on these recordings
http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-M..._bbs_sr_1/104-3458197-3543922?ie=UTF8&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-M...ef=sr_1_1/104-3458197-3543922?ie=UTF8&s=music

I already have Tchaikovsky with Perlman, but I wouldn't mind another version.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> I'd like your opinions on these recordings
> http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-M..._bbs_sr_1/104-3458197-3543922?ie=UTF8&s=music
> http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-M...ef=sr_1_1/104-3458197-3543922?ie=UTF8&s=music
> 
> I already have Tchaikovsky with Perlman, but I wouldn't mind another version.


Get them now. It's Heifetz. He will never dissapoint you.


----------



## jurianbai

I got a recording by Helena Spitkova and Philharmonia Slovonica Cond. Alberto Lizzio. I begin to dig more on Mendelssohn lately and this old recording really re-impressed me.


----------



## Page

I regret that the concerto in D minor (a work of youth of an already beautiful maturity) is not played more often ! The famous E minor totally threw it into oblivion.






But here finale too quickly played (Kantorow).


----------



## Brahmsian Colors

I still like the Stern/Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra interpretation. Another very fine performance is Pinchas Zukerman's first recording, with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.


----------



## gardibolt

Heifetz is too smooth for my tastes. I like the E minor concerto played raw; I'm fond of Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg's rendition. I saw her do it live some years ago and it was like she was chopping cabbage with the fiddle. Outstanding stuff.


----------

