Camerata Bern, Antje Weithaas, Alexander Lonquich - Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin, Piano & Strings, String Quintet No. 2 (2011)

Though most are familiar with Mendelssohn's famous E minor Violin Concerto, and perhaps to a lesser extent the two mature piano concertos, less attention is paid to the youthful Concerto for violin, piano, and strings, penned when the composer was all of 14. This charming, graceful work demonstrates the amazing level of sophistication that Mendelssohn already possessed. The performance on his Claves album features an even lesser known version of the orchestral part that includes winds and timpani, rather than just a string accompaniment. While this is interesting as it is Mendelssohn's own work, there may have been good reason for the composer to promote the string-only version. Much of the elegance and lightness achieved with only a string orchestra is lost with the addition of winds and timpani, which also forces the soloists -- violinist Weithaas and pianist Alexander Lonquich -- to play with unwelcome heaviness. The same can be said of the string orchestra version of the Second String Quintet in B flat major (not B major or B flat minor, as listed in various locations on the album's cover and liner notes). The intimacy and refinement that can be found with a smaller chamber group is diminished, despite the well-executed performance of the Camerata Bern.