Mendelssohn's Fourth symphony and Vivaldi's Cello Concerto

Vivaldi's Cello Concerto by Anastacia Kobekina

Venetian violinist, composer and pedagogue Antonio Vivaldi is considered the pioneer of the solo concerto. For his talented pupils, he wrote many hundreds of solo concertos for various solo instruments, of which the Cello Concerto in d is a wonderful example. Russian cello talent Anastasia Kobekina will not only solo in Vivaldi, she and cello group leader Sietse-Jan Weijenberg will also play the double concerto Violoncellez Vibrez by the high-profile Italian cellist and composer Giovanni Sollima; as well as works bij Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi.

Mendelssohn's ‘Italian’ symphony

During one of his many trips around Europe as a young twenty-something, Felix Mendelssohn also visited Italy. The Italian culture and Mediterranean landscape inspired him to write a new symphony, his Fourth Symphony ‘Italian’. ‘It will be the most enjoyable piece I have written so far, especially the last movement,’ he wrote to his sister Fanny. The cheerful atmosphere and colourful melodies refer to his carefree and sunny journey, from Venice and Florence to Rome and Naples.