My first memory with Bärenreiter was as a young violinist aged 14, learning Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 for the very first time. The red cover of the music and the beautifully clear layout of the music stay etched in my mind. It was a well-loved part, used frequently over the years, and now the cover and back pages are no longer attached, but I still have it!

I like working with Bärenreiter editions because I can trust the source and I know I am playing true Urtext: I can see what the composer intended. Important for me is also how the music is laid-out and presented. With Bärenreiter I always feel the important information is easy to see and understand, without a cluttered layout. That allows me to immediately start working on how I interpret the composer’s text. 

I am again with a red-covered Mozart Violin Concerto in hand, inspired by the perfection and simplicity of this music. Here I was preparing the 1st violin concerto for performances with the Berliner Philharmoniker on tour in the US. I am thankful for this connection to my first Mozart memories, and for the continued place of Bärenreiter editions in my musical life. 

Noah Bendix-Balgley
Violinist / 1st Concertmaster, Berliner Philharmoniker