Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D did not enjoy success, indeed was harshly judged by critics upon it's premiere and fell into obscurity until 1844 when the then 12 year old violinist Joseph Joachim performed it to great and unprecedented acclaim with Felix Mendelssohn conducting the London Philharmonic Society. From that point, the Violin Concerto has become a vital part of violin repertoire. Mendelssohn wrote his Violin Concerto in E clearly inspired by and in homage to the Concerto in D and here Grzegorz Nowak, RPO's longtime Permanent Associate Conductor along with the celebrated concerto, recital and chamber music Romanian violinist Robert Davidovici tease out the parallel nature of these compositions to fascinating ends.
