Mendelssohn violin concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra

“It can also be reported, for posterity, that Francesca Dego’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto will be one of the highlights of the season, even in this early stage of proceedings.

I wonder if [sleepless nights] afflict violinists who sign-up to a performance of what is arguably Mendelssohn’s magnum opus? Fear of hitting the first notes after a mere one-and-a-half bars of nothing must be a trigger for insomnia – but I suspect that that condition is unknown to Dego whose entry was like Scheherazade saying “Ah yes! Where was I?”. She is a storyteller of exceptional gifts and her playing showered the audience with the delights of perfectly-judged phrasing, gloriously warm tones and a cantabile to die-for. Her collaboration with Rustioni was a joy to watch, as were her little tête-à-têtes with the orchestra. Robert Browning’s contention that Art alone has the power to command gave praise to a Renaissance painter, but might easily be applied to Francesca Dego.”

Bachtrack
(November 2024)