Rudens Turku, who has created a trio of compelling recital and chamber recordings for Avie, presents his first concerto recording for the label.

He ingeniously pairs Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin and Piano with the early Sonata in F Major, bringing together two of the composer’s lesser known works. In both, he is joined by his regular piano partner, Oliver Schnyder.

The Double Concerto and F Major Sonata were written when Mendelssohn was in his 20s, still young but already an established soloist, conductor and composer. The ambitious three-movement Sonata lay dormant after its first performances – probably due to the composer’s career demands – and wasn’t revived until 1953 when Yehudi Menuhin published the work for the first time. The Double Concerto displays the work of a mature musician; the sensitivity with which Mendelssohn balances the two instruments is masterful, and the orchestral writing marries brilliance with beauty.