Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Concierto para violín n.° 2 en mi menor, op. 64

Experience and enjoy in a completely new way the great works of classical music, from the Baroque to the modern period, thanks to a series of 20 audio-visual concert guides, Discovering Masterpieces of Classical Music.

Frank Michael Erben, first violinist of the famous Gewandhaus Quartet, joins the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig under Kurt Masur in a recording made in May 1997.

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) was the orchestra's first conductor and the Gewandhaus Orchestra – proud of its long history – is an appropriate choice for an introduction to a work by the composer.

With his famous Violin Concerto in E Minor, the composer forged a link between Classicism and Romanticism. Frank Michael Erben and the musicologist Armin Koch reveal how the composer combined the best of both worlds and created a musically rich and virtuoso piece that remains a popular favourite with audiences until today. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's violin concerto belongs to the standard repertoire of every violinist. It is famous for its balance between rich melodies and virtuoso sections.

In an interview, the violinist Frank-Michael Erben discusses and plays his favorite passages, identifying the suspenseful moments of the work. The German musicologist Armin Koch provides his analysis.