Philippe Graffin - Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos and Phantasy

The programming of Philippe Graffin is always surprisingly remarkable; he is a master in making a logical connection between unknown or forgotten repertoire and main repertoire, and also a master in breaking new ground, on this CD by introducing a cadenza of his own.For this CD he on the one side has chosen one of the most recorded 'Violin Concerto in E minor' by Felix Mendelssohn with the cadenza written by himself, and on the other side included the not often recorded and quite controversial 'Violin Concerto in D minor' together with the 'Fantasy fur Violine und Orchester' both by Robert Schumann.Cadenza of Philippe Graffin:It might be surprising to hear a cadenza for Mendelssohn's E minor concerto that is different to the one we are accustomed to. In light of this, here are a few thoughts on the premise for such an intrusion. The cadenza that is commonly played is not, in fact, by Mendelssohn. Rather it is by his friend, the great violinist Ferdinand David, konzertmeister of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig , who premiered the concerto and to whom the work is dedicated. David's cadenza had the good fortune to have been included in the first edition of the concerto.