Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – Violin Concerto in E minor, op. 64 ( one of the most romantic violin concertos ever! Once you hear the theme…it will stay with you forever!)

Felix Froschhammer, violin
Alexander Mayer, conductor
Ensemble Symphonique Neuchâtel

11.11.2012, Temple du Bas, Neuchâtel

The concerto consists of three movements with the following tempo markings:

1. Allegro molto appassionato (E minor)
2. Andante (C major)
3. Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace (E major)

The concerto opens with an almost immediate entry of the solo violin, instead of an orchestral tutti, with the very tune in E minor that gave Mendelssohn no peace.^[12] Following a bravura of rapidly descending notes, the opening theme is then restated by the orchestra.^[10] There is then a frenetic chromatic transition passage^[10] as the music subsides and modulates into a tranquil second subject theme in G major.^[13] The melody is initially played by the woodwinds with the soloist providing a pedal note on an open G string.^[12] The tune is played by the solo violin itself before a short codetta ends the exposition section of the opening movement.