- Allegro molto appassionato
- Andante
- Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace
Regarded as one of the most famous works, Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 was a labor of love that resulted from a friendship between Mendelssohn and virtuoso violinist Ferdinand David, for whom he promised a concerto in 1838. However,due to his responsibilities as director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the founding of the Leipzig Conservatory (est. 1843), it took Mendelssohn a total of six years to complete, and it turned out to be his last concerto. He was under a lot of pressure due to constant composing, conducting, and administrative work. Fortunately, Mendelssohn had a stable and happy home life with his wife and kids in Leipzig. He also became the most respected and well-known composer and conductor in Europe. Written slowly and meticulously with helpful input from David, by September of 1844, Mendelssohn completed the concerto and sent it to David.
The Violin Concerto in E minor premiered on March 13, 1845, in Leipzig with David as the soloist and his good friend, Mendelssohn, as conductor with the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which became one of the leading ensembles in Europe. The years of putting the concerto together piece by piece with the collaboration of Felix Mendelssohn and Ferdinand David paid off tremendously, as the premiere was a resounding success, impressing audiences and musicians alike. Within a few years, the Violin Concerto in E minor became widely performed across Europe, and it became part of the standard repertoire for violinists.
- Allegro molto appassionato, sets the concerto apart with its urgent, passionate character. It defies the concerto tradition by having the violin enter almost immediately with its soaring central theme, a departure from the usual orchestral introduction. This movement also skillfully weaves together lyrical themes with musically technical passages, adding an element of surprise and intrigue for the audience.
- Andante is a tender and lyrical interlude that showcases the violin with a long, flowing melody reminiscent of an aria. This movement, a testament to Mendelssohn’s gift for composing cantabile (singing) melody, offers a moment of emotional depth and repose between the fiery outer movements, leaving the audience deeply moved.
- Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivaceis a triumphant and playful finale that echoes Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream music with its airy brilliance. This movement, with its jubilant energy, leaves the audience feeling uplifted and exhilarated.
Together, these movements create the perfect balance of passion, beauty, and brilliance that the audience and critics immediately recognized the concerto as a masterpiece upon its first listening.