Les Élémens/Plamena Nikitassova: Niccolò Mestrino

The Strad Issue: September 2026

Description: Premiere recordings of Haydn’s band leader scintillate

Musicians: Les Élémens/Plamena Nikitassova (violin)

Works: Mestrino: Violin Concertos: no.6 in E major, no.9 in E flat major; Sonata for violin and cello in D major; Variations for solo violin in A major

Catalogue number: RAMÉE RAM2503

The Milan-born virtuoso violinist Niccolò Mestrino (1748–89) may these days be a forgotten name, but he was for some years leader of Haydn’s court orchestra at Eisenstadt and is thought to have taken part in the first performances of the latter’s op.33 String Quartets in 1781. He was later appointed by Viotti as orchestral leader at Paris’s Théâtre de Monsieur.

Plamena Nikitassova offers a nice overview of Mestrino’s concerto and sonata style on her play-directed album of world premiere recordings. Interpretation-wise, these are light of tread both in forces – the period-instrument Les Élémens being one-to-a-part, with pairs of horns and oboes complementing strings and fortepiano – and with taut ensemble, by turns graceful and delicate as the music demands.

Nikitassova, playing a 1783 Nicolas Orléans instrument in its original state, is tremendously sweet-toned, and despatches Mestrino’s extensive upper-register writing with ease. Christophe Coin is a fluidly expressive, sensitive partner in the D major Sonata, captured in the bloom of Basel’s Martinskirche.

It may not be great music, but these performances bring across the personality and technique of its creator, making it a welcome catalogue addition.

CHARLOTTE GARDNER