MENDELSSOHN

Violin Concerto; Octet

Liza Ferschtman (violin);

Itamar Zorman, Elina Vähälä, Corina Belcea (violin), Krzysztof Chorzelski, Marc Desmons (viola), Sebastian Klinger, Antoine Lederlin (cello);

Het Gelders Orkest/kees Bakels

Challenge Classics CC72748 (hybrid CD/ SACD) 58:19 mins

Two of Mendelssohn’s bestloved works are paired here in performances that could make you fall in love with them afresh, if you needed to. In the Violin Concerto the Dutch violinist Liza Ferschtman proves a flexible soloist with an interpretation that is strongly emotional in the best sense. Her playing seems to focus first and foremost on colour, nuance and expression, rather than powerful tone for the sake of it, and she is alive to the rapid progression of Mendelssohn’s ideas, the playfulness and moments of introversion as well as the passion. She uses portamento quite fulsomely, which