Arnold Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 2; Violin Concerto (Ziling Guo; Ulrich Windfuhr)

Information

Composer: Arnold Mendelssohn

• Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 88
• Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 92

Ziling Guo, violin

Hamburg Symphony Orchestra

Ulrich Windfuhr, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: CPO

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Arnold Mendelssohn (1853–1933), a distant relative of Felix Mendelssohn, earned particular distinction in Protestant church music, a field closely associated with his celebrated forebear. His sustained engagement with classical-romantic instrumental forms, however, emerged relatively late, during the First World War, perhaps as a reaffirmation of tradition amid cultural upheaval. Nearly seventy when he composed his Violin Concerto and Second Symphony, Mendelssohn produced works of remarkable vitality and wit. These compositions balance introspective expression and buoyant finales, drawing on historical references without lapsing into imitation, demonstrating confident mastery rather than dependence on the past.

Ziling Guo is one of the most versatile Chinese violinists of her generation. After early training in Xi’an and Shanghai, she completed her bachelor’s, master’s, and concert examination degrees with distinction at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama under Christoph Schickedanz, also serving as concertmaster and teaching assistant. Highly active in chamber music, she co-founded Duo Artemis, achieving numerous international competition successes. As a soloist, she is a multiple prizewinner at major international competitions and has performed with leading orchestras worldwide. In 2024, she was appointed professor at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music.

Ulrich Windfuhr is an internationally renowned conductor and university lecturer who has served as professor of conducting since 2006, teaching in Leipzig and, since 2013, in Hamburg. Alongside his academic work, he maintains an active international conducting career and collaborates regularly with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. Trained by eminent figures such as Franco Ferrara, Leonard Bernstein, and Carlo Maria Giulini, he is acclaimed for combining artistic depth with exceptional pedagogical commitment. Formerly General Music Director in Kiel and a regular guest at major German opera houses, he has received numerous awards, including Opernwelt’s “Conductor of the Year,” and his students enjoy significant international success.