Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: SYMPHONY 1 & 4 / HEBRIDES OVERTURE

On this CD:

1. The Hebrides, overture in B minor for orchestra ("Fingal's Cave," 4 versions), Op. 26
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by London Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Ross Pople

2. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by London Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Ross Pople

3. Symphony No. 4 in A major ("Italian"), Op. 90
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by London Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Ross Pople

Tracks:

Merce, Diletti Amici - O Tu, Che L'alma
Scena, Coro E Brindisi
Mamma...Quel Vino E Generoso
Lamento Di Federico
Improvviso
Come Un Bel Di Dimaggio
Oh! Fede Negar Potessi
Fontainebleau, Foresta Immense
Amor Ti Vieta
Cielo E Mar
Epilogo
Vesti La Giubba
Dio, Mi Potevi Scagliar
La Danza

Customer Reviews:

Triumphant return of Flor's Mendelssohn.......2005-06-01

At last Claus Peter Flor's Mendelssohn symphonies, overtures and piano concertos (with Edelmann) have returned. On the basis of these recordings (all previously issued) Flor, who is probably in his early 50s now, is still one of the better Mendelssohn conductors out there.

In particular, his Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 have been hailed by critics on this side of the Atlantic for their beauty, proportion and Mendelssohnian sensibility. His other symphonies are also good and his collected overtures have been revered on both sides of the Atlantic by critics from Gramophone (which gave the overtures a rosette) to American Record Guide (which continued to promote his works even after they were out of print).

Flor's regualr partner in these performances, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, is a European band of the second rank. While not being confused with the more well-known orchestras in Vienna, Berlin or London, they perform universally well in these CDs in recordings that sound better than ever.

This is a very good collection of Mendelssohn's symphonic music and piano concertos that will rank with the best recorded boxes including Abbado and Karajn. In musical terms is far exceeds the collections led by Masur, Ashkenazy and the newer Naxos cycle of mixed quality.

Collectors that have never heard Flor conduct (or have never heard of him) can rest assured that this is a worthy alternative collection in this music. If this grouping and this price are attractive, go for it.

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: The String Symphonies

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Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: The String Symphonies

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphonies; Overtures; Concertos
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1-6, 8 & 9
Brahms: Complete Piano Music
Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc.
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; In Nature; Serenade for Winds; Serenade for Strings, etc.

ASIN: B0001TSWQY
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphonies Nos. 1-5

Average customer rating:

Uneven, look elsewhere.
Fine recordings of all of Mendelssohn's very fine symphonies
Very adequate compilation
Masur's Finest Mendelssohn Symphony Cycle
Overall, good recording, some minor differences

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphonies Nos. 1-5

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000000FL7
Release Date: 1995-01-16

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op 11: Allegro di molto - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op 11: Andante - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op 11: Menuetto - Allegro molto - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op 11: Allegro con fuoco - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 2 In A Minor, Op 56: Andante con moto - Allegro un poco agitato - Assai animato - Andante come prima - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In A Minor, Op 56: Vivace non troppo - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In A Minor, Op 56: Adagio - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In A Minor, Op 56: Allegro vivacissimo - Allegro maestoso assai - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Symphony Maestoso con molto - Allegro - Allegro un poco agitato - Adagio religioso - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Chorus Allegro moderato maestoso - Animato: Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn! - Allegro di molto: Lobet den Hrrn mit Saitenspiel - Soprano And Women's Choir: Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Tenor - Recitativ: Saget es, die lhr erloset seid - Aria: Allegro moderato, Er zahlet uns're Tranen - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Chorus, A tempo moderato, Saget es, die lht erloset seid - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Duet (Soprano and Chorus) Adante: Ich harrete des Herrn - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Tenor - Aria, Allegro un pocco agitato: Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen - Allegro assai agitato: Wir riefen in der Finsternis - Soprano - Recitativ, Die Nacht ist vergangen - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Chorus Allegro maestoso e molto vivace: Die Nacht ist Vergangen - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Chorale, Adante con moto: Nun danket alle Gott, Un poco piu animato: Lob, Ehr' und Preis sei Gott - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Duet (Soprano And Tenor) Andante sostenuto assai: Drum sing'ich mit meinem Liede - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 52 - 'Lobgesang': Finale Chorus, Allegro non troppo: lhr Volker, bringet her dem Herrn - Piu vivace: Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn - Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In A Major Opus 90 - 'Italian': Allegro vivace - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 4 In A Major Opus 90 - 'Italian': Andante con moto - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 4 In A Major Opus 90 - 'Italian': Con moto moderato - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 4 In A Major Opus 90 - 'Italian': Saltarello presto - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor Opus 107 - 'Reformation': Andante - Allegro con fuoco - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor Opus 107 - 'Reformation': Allegro vivace - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor Opus 107 - 'Reformation': Andante - attacca - Kurt Masur
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor Opus 107 - 'Reformation': Chorale: Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott - Andante con moto - Allegro maestoso - Piu animato poco a poco - Kurt Masur

Customer Reviews:

Uneven, look elsewhere........2006-09-15

Mendelssohn's 5 symphonies are not played as often as the Beethoven or Brahms, which is a real shame. All of them are wonderful pieces, even the first two, which are hardly ever played. As to the complete set here, I would avoid it. The first two symphonies do receive fine performances, especially No. 2, which is a symphony and a cantata merged together. The Scotch (No. 3) is absolutely dreadful, having about as much life as the stones on the moon. No. 4 is better but hardly exciting. And while No. 5 is not as bad as No. 3, it still is pretty mediocre. For a complete set, I would go with Abbado.

Fine recordings of all of Mendelssohn's very fine symphonies.......2005-12-29

I do not know why Amazon.com lists this as only available from used item dealers. I just purchased it at a large book and music store and BMG Classics still lists it in its catalog. While I have notified Amazon.com of this, they have not yet corrected the page.

In any case, this is a wonderful and very affordable collection of all five Mendelssohn symphonies. Contrary to current musical fashion, these are all fine works and very much worth hearing. You can go to the concert hall of any symphony orchestra and most weeks you will hear works inferior to these. True, they are not works on the order of Beethoven's symphonies, but whose are? That is a ridiculous standard and you would limit your listening choices far too severely.

Mendelssohn's wrote his first symphony when he was fifteen. It is a very competent work written more along classical than romantic lines. The "Reformation" symphony that we now call number five (because it was published posthumously). He wrote it during 1829-30 to honor Martin Luther and the 300th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. He not only never published it, but later condemned it as mere juvenilia (Mendelssohn was all of 21 years in 1830). Some say he considered burning the work. We are grateful he did not and that we have it today. I remember playing it in high school orchestra and was very moved. For one thing, as a trombone player, it has a great part for my instrument!

The "Lobgesang" ("Hymn of Praise") is now called the second symphony. It is part symphony and part cantata and obviously has Beethoven's ninth as an inspiration, but nothing like the drama of that work. It is a glorious work that was immensely popular in the nineteenth century. However, its straightforward faith and worship of God is probably difficult for our modern sense of ironic detachment to swallow. I love the work (probably because my ironic view of irony allows me to enjoy faith and worship outright) and would love to hear it performed more frequently. It sounds as fun to sing as it is to hear. Mendelssohn wrote it as part of a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Gutenberg and printing (because of the role printing played in the Reformation).

The "Scottish Symphony" (now also called the symphony no. 3) was also very popular in Mendelssohn's lifetime. Some, like Wagner - who bore a personal grudge towards the composer - have found it too depressed in mood and not strong enough in affect for their taste. For me, it is a perfectly wonderful work and a treasure of the symphonic form. Again, it may not be the biggest or brightest star in the symphonic firmament, but considering the innumerable number of lesser stars that still get some notice, this work should be on the list of prominent celestial objects of the first or second magnitude. This work is still performed, as it should be.

Mendelssohn's "Italian Symphony" (the present symphony no. 4) is the work most favored by modern audiences. I confess that it is my favorite as well. There is everything to enjoy in its brilliance, scope and language, and little to criticize. The autograph score is dated March 13, 1833 and was premiered in May of that year. He left the score with his friend the pianist Moscheles. According to page 276 in Larry Todd's magnificent recent biography of Mendelssohn (strongly recommended to you) began revising the score in 1834 by preparing, from memory, a score of the last three movements. However, he was unhappy with the first movement (!!!??!?!?) and abandoned the project. Moscheles and Cipriani Potter conducted a few performances of the work in 1834, 1837, and 1838, however after Felix died it was left unperformed until it was finally published in 1851. The issue of the way the "standard" version of this symphony has come to us has been the subject of dissertations and books. My advice is to simply revel in the glory of this music and put aside Mendelssohn's own perfectionist reservations.

These recordings are by the Leipzig Gewandhaus conducted by Kurt Masur in the early 1970s. It is appropriate that this orchestra perform these works because of all that Mendelssohn meant in putting that orchestra on the map. These recordings sound great and are beautifully performed. It doesn't feel like anyone is holding back or doubting the importance of these works. Every recording, including the "Hymn of Praise" is full of heart, energy, and beauty.

Recommended.

Very adequate compilation.......2002-10-18

I've had this set for over a decade, and over the years I've found more thrilling, dynamic recordings of the Italian and Scottish symphonies (#3 and #4). But as a low-priced introduction to Mendelssohn's symphonies, or for that matter to M.'s music, this set is perfectly adequate. In particular I wish to direct attention to Symphony #2, the infrequently recorded "Lobesang" for chorus and orchestra. The symphony is maybe an hour long and extremely gratifying to the ear, though I have no idea what all the singing is about, as I don't speak or understand German, and the lyrics are not printed in the CD booklet. Still, repeated experimentation has proved that this Masur recording of the "Lobesang" symphony is a foolproof soporific, if one sincerely wishes to doze off, but cannot (for whatever reason). This is not a backhanded criticism, either; I'm utterly serious and very grateful to everyone involved with the recording. If you are seeking music to relax you, look no further.

Masur's Finest Mendelssohn Symphony Cycle.......2001-11-11

Kurt Masur's first Mendelssohn Symphony cycle with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is regarded by many as his best, preferable to the later, digital version he recorded with Teldec. Since I haven't heard the Teldec cycle, I don't know whether this is indeed a valid comparison. Yet this cycle contains some of the most electrifying performances of Mendelssohn's symphonies I've heard, most notably the "Reformation" symphony. The sound quality is decent, not great, but should not be a primary consideration for purchasing this set. Nor should the absence of liner notes. Certainly this inexpensive CD set should be regarded as a primary recommendation for a Mendelssohn symphony cycle.

Overall, good recording, some minor differences.......2001-08-26

Solid and precise, yet sensitive. The Lobegesang is especially good, with the vocalists. Also the trombones highlight the theme "Alles was Odem hat" very well. For the most part the tempos match the music quite well, although the Reformation Symphony is a little too fast for my personal tastes.

Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Capriccio Brillant

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Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Capriccio Brillant
Serkin , Ormandy , and Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001XPY3Y
Release Date: 2005-07-18

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Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5
Abbado , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000012VO
Release Date: 1997-03-10

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op.11
Scherzo In G Minor From The Octet Op.20
Symphony No. 5 Op.107 - Reformation

Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Die Jugendsymphonien Nos. 1-6

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Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Die Jugendsymphonien Nos. 1-6

Manufacturer: Berlin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Tracks:

Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Andante
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Andante
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Allegro vivace
Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Allegro di molto
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Andante
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Grave - Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Andante
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Allegro vivace
Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Allegro vivace
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Andante
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Presto
Die Jungendsymphonien: 1. Allegro
Die Jungendsymphonien: 2. Menuetto - Trio I - Trio II
Die Jungendsymphonien: 3. Prestissimo

Amazon.com

Mendelssohn was the most amazing child prodigy that ever lived. Most people think this was Mozart, but it isn't true if you consider not just quantity of music composed, but quality. The comparison ends there, however, because as Mozart got older, he got better. Mendelssohn got worse--or at best hit a plateau and more or less stayed there. These string symphonies, composed when he was 11, are not only delightful, they're better than a lot of stuff that came later. Though not at all well-known, they certainly deserve to be as popular as, say, Vivaldi's concertos or the heaps of early Mozart symphonies that you hear all the time of classical radio stations. These performances, from Mendelssohn's hometown team, are as good as we have any right to expect. There are four more discs in this series, and if you like these, you'll want the others as well. --David Hurwitz

Rudolf Serkin & Eugene Ormandy: Mendelssohn Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

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Rudolf Serkin & Eugene Ormandy: Mendelssohn Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: CBS Records Masterworks
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000QABP80

Product Description

I. No. 1 in G minor 1. Molto allegro con fuoco 2. Andante 3. Molto Allegro e vivace II. No. 2 in D minor 4. Allegro appassionato 5. Adagio 6. Finale: Presto scherzando 7. III. Capriccio brillant in B minor