Violin Concerto, Op.64

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Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 is one of the most celebrated and frequently performed violin concertos in classical music history.
Composed between 1838 and 1844, it represents Mendelssohn’s last major orchestral work and is considered one of his greatest achievements.

Known for its lyrical beauty and innovative structure, the concerto deviated from tradition by allowing the soloist to enter almost immediately (Beethoven's piano concerto no. 4 is another famous earlier example), creating a more urgent and engaging start than the typical lengthy orchestral introduction of the time.

Mendelssohn wrote the concerto for his close friend, the renowned violinist Ferdinand David, who premiered the work in 1845 in Leipzig.
Over several years, Mendelssohn carefully refined the concerto, often seeking David’s advice to ensure that it was both technically challenging and deeply expressive.

Like Beethoven, Mendelssohn's decided to write a fully composed cadenza in the first movement, rather than allowing the soloist to improvise.
This helped maintain the concerto’s seamless flow and heightened the dramatic connection between soloist and orchestra.

Today, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto is considered a pillar of the violin repertoire, admired for its elegance, emotional depth, and virtuosic demands.

Anecdote

An interesting anecdote about Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor: at one point, David humorously remarked that Mendelssohn was taking so long to complete the work that by the time it was finished, he might no longer be able to play it!
Despite the light hearted comment, David premiered the concerto to great success, proving that Mendelssohn’s painstaking effort had paid off.