Violinist Michael Barenboim makes his second appearance on Linn, this time with pianist and partner Natalia Pegarkova-Barenboim. Together they have recorded some of Mendelssohn’s beloved Songs without Words. Beginning their life as a musical game between Mendelssohn and his older sister Fanny Hensel, these songs were arranged into piano pieces to pass the time during their childhood. The album showcases a selection arranged for violin by violinist and composer Ferdinand David. Hardly known today, David was to become a close friend of Felix and the dedicatee of his famous Violin Concerto Op. 64. These arrangements always remain true to Mendelssohn’s musical aesthetic, and their intimate character calls for a closely shared musicianship, undoubtedly a distinctive quality which the duo has aplenty.
