Mendelssohn: Violin Sonata in F major (1838)

“The usual things: technical perfection; febrile, vibrato-heavy emotions; strength . . . Her "wired" playing style is especially notable in the chamber pieces, partly because of André Previn, her piano partner . . . his fingers are admirably clean and agile even at the swiftest speeds . . . Lynn Harrell, Mutter’s cello colleague, maintains an appealing velvet throb in the Trio . . . [Concerto]: you can feel the adrenalin pumping . . . the German superstar, pirouetting nicely with a burnished tone, nervous rhythms, a furious finale and a vibrating, skylark andante” The Times, London

1CD+DVD

Anne-Sophie Mutter presents a unique combined DVD/CD project produced at Mendelssohn’s home town of Leipzig and in Vienna to celebrate his 200th birth anniversary in 2009 (3 February). The extremely popular Violin Concerto was recorded live in concert at the Gewandhaus under the direction of Kurt Masur, and the chamber music at the beautiful Brahms-Saal in the Vienna Musikverein

The release will offer a state-of-the-art audio recording plus a separate full-length DVD that also includes a documentary, and comes in a Super Jewel Box Plus.

Over 25 years after her first recording of the Mendelssohn Concerto with Herbert von Karajan, Anne-Sophie Mutter has a fresh, stunning, (fast) new take on one of the most popular concertos in the violin repertoire. Kurt Masur at her side is ideal, the most knowledgeable and experienced Mendelssohn interpreter alive. As the long-time chief conductor of Mendelssohn’s own orchestra (Gewandhaus 1835-1847) he stands for a great tradition and sound. With the Piano Trio No. 1 and the Sonata Anne-Sophie Mutter has chosen masterpieces from Mendelssohn’s chamber music repertoire to broaden the picture. Here too she collaborates with long-term chamber music partners: André Previn and Lynn Harrell.

The young violinist Mikhail Ovrutsky has recorded this CD with his sister. All the pieces are linked by special memories of places and moods. A sensitive musician delves into his international heritage in this very personal selection.

Rudens Turku’s first concerto recording for Avie uniquely couples two lesserknown works by Mendelssohn, the Concerto for Violin and Piano, and the early Sonata in F Major.

Rudens Turku, who has created a trio of compelling recital and chamber recordings for Avie, presents his first concerto recording for the label.

He ingeniously pairs Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin and Piano with the early Sonata in F Major, bringing together two of the composer’s lesser known works. In both, he is joined by his regular piano partner, Oliver Schnyder. The Double Concerto and F Major Sonata were written when Mendelssohn was in his 20s, still young but already an established soloist, conductor and composer. The ambitious three-movement Sonata lay dormant after its first performances – probably due to the composer’s career demands – and wasn’t revived until 1953 when Yehudi Menuhin published the work for the first time. The Double Concerto displays the work of a mature musician; the sensitivity with which Mendelssohn balances the two instruments is masterful, and the orchestral writing marries brilliance with beauty.

This unique coupling is a fitting tribute to the end of the Mendelssohn anniversary year.

“A highly gifted violinist with seductive tone. His playing is effortlessly elegant and optimistic” International Record Review

All artworks in this series are watercolours by the composer