Spotlight on
Mendelssohn

A pillar of German Romanticism, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) embodies elegance and a balance between classical tradition and innovation. Composer, pianist and conductor, he left his mark on his era with his precocious genius and keen sense of melody. His Concerto for violin in E minor (1844), dedicated to his friend Ferdinand David, is a jewel of the Romantic concert repertoire with its melancholic and passionate solo melody, played without orchestral introduction, breaking with the conventions of the time. The Symphony No. 4 ‘Italian’ (1833) is both a soundscape and a vibrant tribute to the light, folk dances and vitality of the South. Mendelssohn skilfully contrasts the contemplative nostalgia of the central movement with the saltarello finale, which sweeps the listener along on a whirlwind ride.