Violin Concertos

Though Mendelssohn was considered by many to be a classicist, his E minor Violin Concerto was innovative in many ways, including dispensing with the opening ritornello. The old-fashioned Brahms, on the other hand opened his 1878 Violin Concerto with an expansive ritornello. both masterpieces have become cornerstones of the violin repertoire. These recordings were made in the warm and resonant Concertgebouw Hall in 1973 (Brahms) and 1976 (Mendelssohn).