Christian Li - Discovering Mendelssohn

Christian Li - Discovering Mendelssohn

485 3987 (Decca Classics, CD)

FIRST RELEASE (16 June 2023)
Tracks: 13
Booklet pages: 16
℗ 2023 Universal Music Operations Ltd
© 2023 Universal Music Operations Ltd
Main country of recording: Australia
Reviewer: Geoff Pearce
Review of Christian Li - Discovering Mendelssohn published on 15 June 2023

Christian Li, violin
Yinuo Mu, harp (track 1)
Laurence Matheson, piano (tracks 2-4)
James Baillieu, piano (tracks 5 and 10-12)
David Berlin, cello (track 9)
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (tracks 1 and 6-9)
Andrew Davis, conductor (tracks 1 and 6-9)
Xuefei Yang, guitar (track 13)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), arranged for violin and chamber ensemble by Simon Parkin:

1 On Wings of Song (6 Songs, Op 34)

Felix Mendelssohn, arranged for violin and piano by Abram Yampolsky:

Rondo capriccioso Op 14
2 Andante
3 Presto leggiero

Franz Schubert (1797-1828), arranged for violin and piano by Mischa Elman:

4 Serenade (Schwanengesang, D 957)

Felix Mendelssohn, arranged for violin and piano by Emil Kross:

5 Spring Song from Songs Without Words Op 62

Felix Mendelssohn:

Violin Concerto in E minor, Op 64
6 Allegro molto appassionato
7 Andante
8 Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750):

9 Erbarme dich, mein Gott (St Matthew Passion, BWV 244)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):

Violin Sonata No 21 in E minor, K 304
10 Allegro
11 Tempo di Menuetto
12 Dolce

Felix Mendelssohn, arranged for violin and guitar by Simon Parkin:

13 Venetian Gondola Song (Songs Without Words, Op 62)

Christian Li walks in Mendelssohn's footsteps, bringing the music from his travels to life. Recorded with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, we follow Mendelssohn's journeys with pieces written in Leipzig, Düsseldorf, Munich, Venice & London. The new album also includes music from the composer's inspirations and contemporaries: Bach, Mozart & Schubert.

Recorded in February 2022 (tracks 2-4) and December 2022 (track 1 and tracks 6-9) at Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Australia, and in August 2022 at Menuhin Hall, Cobham, UK (tracks 5 and 10-13).

In the digital copy sent to us for review, the digital booklet lists only eleven tracks, with the Rondo Capriccioso on a single track, and the Mozart Violin Sonata on two tracks instead of three. The track numbers above, and in Geoff Pearce's review, correspond to the digital files provided in our review copy of the album.