La Maîtresse de Mendolssen

I got Anne-Sophie Mutter in a break up. He got my internal organs and I got the record collection. Personally I think I got the better deal...

Now, as they say, the music!

I'd been wanting to see Mutter live since The X introduced me to her second recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The first recording, made with the legendary conductor Karajan, was a technically perfect piece - the work of a dutiful protégé - a bit stuffy and refined. The second recording is something quite different - pared down, vibrant, energetic - you get the sense that this is music played for the love of it, for the fun of it, not to display pure technical skill. It's one of my all-time favourite recordings of the piece.

This is a sort of trailer for the recording: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5DWAdJKUlxo

So when I saw that she was playing with the London Philharmonic I nearly wept with joy. This lady is classical music royalty and it's not often that you get to see her perform live.

The concert was on Saturday and her performance was incredible. She played Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and I couldn't take my eyes off her - she was absolutely mesmerising.

Her phrasing is insane, tone is divine, she's lyrical, mischievous, vibrant. In my new policy of not "reviewing" events anymore, I'll just say, find a recording and check it out.

My only complaint (concern?) was that in a packed out auditorium, I must have been one of only a dozen people under 45 in attendance. What is up with that? Why don't more twenty-somethings dig classical music? Didn't your parents force you to go to classical music concerts when you were a kid? Didn't you watch Fantasia?

PS Watch Fantasia - it's insane! In a good way...