Like
Mozart and
Beethoven before him,
Felix Mendelssohn was a brilliant pianist who used his concertos as much to showcase his compositional skills as his agility on the piano. The First Concerto was completed in an amazingly short period of time when the composer was all of 23 years of age. The music is trademark
Mendelssohn: dazzling pyrotechnical displays juxtaposed with serene, songlike melodies. Written only five years later, the Second Concerto already shows a dramatic increase in
Mendelssohn's maturity and sophistication in using the orchestra as more of an equal rather than just an accompanimental tool. This Brilliant Classics album features pianist
Derek Han with the Israel Chamber Orchestra. Brilliant has released
Han's
Mendelssohn under several different guises, and with good reason.
Han's playing captures all of the youthful vigor and nuance inherent in
Mendelssohn's writing. The nimble inner voice writing in each concerto's outer movements is delivered with supple elegance and precision; not one note goes unnoticed or unheard. Middle movements are filled with peaceful elegance and lyrical, cantabile playing that contrast beautifully with the tumult found on either side. Balance between soloist and orchestra is nicely controlled thanks to the leadership of
Stephen Gunzenhauser keeping the volume low enough for
Han to play true pianos. Although a bit of a short album at just over 51 minutes, this disc is a great choice as an introduction to these lively concertos.