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After the mystical Hebrides Overture and the masterly 'Reformation' Symphony, Mendelssohn embarked on his second violin concerto. After a long gestation in which he polished the orchestration and meticulously revised the solo part, the work was finally premiered in Leipzig in 1845. From David to Joachim, several virtuosos honed the violin part with the composer over successive revivals, leaving behind traces of their playing style: fingerings, bowings, performance marks. This precious heritage has been scrutinized here for previously unexploited expressive resources. Isabelle Faust, accompanied by the Freiburger Barockorchester in top form under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado, offers us a miracle of purity and lyricism in this freshly minted interpretation that fulfills Mendelssohn's promise of ''a concerto to make the angels rejoice in heaven.