This is the second violin concerto Mendelssohn had written, and one of the most influential pieces in the classical repertoire. The first being his D minor concerto for violin and strings. He was composing the E minor concerto with much assistance from F. David and completed it while in Soden, without access to a piano. The premier was performed by the well-known arranger Ferdinand David, for which the piece was dedicated, and conducted by the famed composer Niels Gade on March 13th, 1845.