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Who was Ferdinand David in relation to Felix Mendelssohnâs Violin Concerto in E Minor?
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Felix Mendelssohn
German composer Felix Mendelssohn, painting by Wilhelm Hensel.
Ferdinand David was a close friend of Felix Mendelssohn since their teenage years and served as the concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra during Mendelssohn's tenure as conductor.1
Mendelssohn composed his Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 specifically with David in mind. Furthermore, David served as the soloist for the work's premiere in Leipzig on March 13, 1845.1