Mendlessohn

Does anyone else here love his violin concerto (op. 64) in E Minor?

I have the Szeryng/Dorati/LSO recording and love this piece of music. What a delightful, happy, uplifting composition. Best thing I've heard in a while. Might have to explore "Mendy" some more....

DT

 

Yes, great piece. Try the symphonies, especially the "Scottish" and "Italian", the overture "Fingal's Cave" and the incidental music to "A midsummer night's dream". Yes, yes, I know that the last-named has THAT wedding march, but played properly, it's a great piece of music - as you say, very uplifting. "Midsummer" is absolutely chockful of great tunes.

 

But the finale of the violin concerto is just naff. very naff. The first two movemnts are fine, especially the 1st, but the finale does my head in.

There something overly comfortable, genteel fake romanticism like an unvaried diet of Walter Scott stories and Landseer paintings about Mendelssohn's music. Stick to small quantities for best effect.

 

But for someone whose classical listening diet consists mostly of hardcore Soviet and pseudo Soviet propoganda marches, Op 64 was a breath of fresh air. "Over-saccharined", "schmaltzy" air, yes. But nice all the same

DT