Ferdinand David

A close associate of Felix Mendelssohn, Ferdinand David was a key figure in 19th century German musical life. He gave the world premiere of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64. In 1835, David was named concertmaster of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, where Mendelssohn had just become conductor. Many of his compositions are for violin, but by no means all; one of his most familiar pieces is the early Concertino for trombone and orchestra, Op. 4, of 1838. David joined the faculty of the new Leipzig Conservatory of Music in 1843, teaching violin. After Mendelssohn's death in 1847, he became the music director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra. David wrote some 50 published works, many of which are little played today. As of the mid-2020s, some 25 of his works had been recorded, including two of his five violin concertos by violinist Hagai Shaham.