The Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, the ensemble on this recording, was formed in 1988 by musicians passionate about chamber music, aiming for the highest standards of ensemble playing.
Composer Biography
Mendelssohn grew up in a wealthy Berlin home where his family hosted Sunday concerts featuring court musicians, and he and his sister Fanny often appeared as soloists.
Composer's Artistic Vision
While Mendelssohn's early string symphonies surpass Mozart's youthful compositions in richness and craftsmanship, Mozart, J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, and C.P.E. Bach remained stylistic models.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, the composer, wrote an extraordinary amount of magnificently gifted music during his childhood, including thirteen string symphonies between ages 11 and 15.
Composition History
Mendelssohn later came to regard his youthful works with contempt, and it was largely due to his sister Fanny that they were preserved in the Prussian State Library.
Performer Biography
Lev Markiz, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, was born in Moscow and began his career as a violinist, later forming his own chamber orchestra, 'The Soloists of Moscow'.
