Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Overtures

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It is in the choral Second Symphony that the advantage of the wide-ranging digital sound comes out most strikingly, in clarifying the big tuttis with choir, at the same time providing extra weight... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 11th Nov 2001
Catalogue No: 4714672
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Series: Collectors Edition
Length: 4 hours 45 minutes

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Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11

Work length32:18

$4.40

$6.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-10-07
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

I. Allegro di molto

Track length10:39

$1.10

$1.50

II. Andante

Track length6:40

$1.10

$1.50

III. Menuetto. Allegro molto

Track length6:45

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Allegro con fuoco

Track length8:14

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Octet, Op. 20, MWV R20

Work length3:58

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-10
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

III. Scherzo (Version for Orchestra)

Track length3:58

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, Op. 21

Work length12:03

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-10-10
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

Mendelssohn: The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26, MWV P7 "Fingal's Cave"

Work length10:23

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1985-02-06
Recording Venue: Walthamstow Town Hall, London

Mendelssohn: Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt, Op. 27, MWV P5

Work length13:08

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1986-11-28
Recording Venue: All Saints Church, London

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A18 "Hymn of Praise"

Work length1:14:19

$15.40

$21.00

Elizabeth Connell (soprano), Hans Peter Blochwitz (tenor), Karita Mattila (soprano), John Alley (chorus master)
London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1985-02-06
Recording Venue: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London

I. Sinfonia: a. Maestoso con moto

Track length13:47

$1.10

$1.50

I. Sinfonia: b. Allegretto un poco agitato

Track length7:00

$1.10

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I. Sinfonia: c. Adagio religioso

Track length8:08

$1.10

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IIa. Chorus. Alles was Odem hat lobe den Herrn

Track length5:29

$1.10

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IIb. Solo and Chorus. Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele

Track length2:42

$1.10

$1.50

IIIa. Recit. Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid

Track length0:51

$1.10

$1.50

IIIb. Aria. Er zählet unsre Tränen

Track length2:20

$1.10

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IV. Chorus. Sagt es, die ihr erlöst seid

Track length2:08

$1.10

$1.50

V. Duet & Chorus. Ich harrete des Herrn

Track length6:46

$1.10

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VI. Solo. Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen

Track length4:14

$1.10

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VII. Chorus. Die Nacht ist vergangen

Track length4:58

$1.10

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VIII. Chorale. Nun danket alle Gott

Track length4:13

$1.10

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IX. Duet. Drum sing ich mit meinem Liede

Track length5:12

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X. Chorus. Ihr Völker, bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!

Track length6:31

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 'Scottish'

Work length42:21

$4.40

$6.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-02-22
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

I. Andante con moto - Allegro un poco agitato

Track length16:54

$1.10

$1.50

II. Vivace non troppo

Track length4:04

$1.10

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III. Adagio

Track length11:28

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Allegro vivacissimo - Allegro maestoso assai

Track length9:55

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Die schöne Melusine Overture, Op. 32, MWV P12

Work length10:47

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-10-10
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

Mendelssohn: Trumpet Overture, Op. 101, MWV P2

Work length9:09

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1986-11-28
Recording Venue: All Saints Church, London

Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture, Op. 95

Work length8:20

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1986-11-28
Recording Venue: All Saints Church, London

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 'Italian'

Work length28:17

$4.40

$6.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-10-06
Recording Venue: St. John's Smith Square, London

I. Allegro vivace

Track length10:30

$1.10

$1.50

II. Andante con moto

Track length5:55

$1.10

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III. Con moto moderato

Track length6:29

$1.10

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IV. Saltarello. Presto

Track length5:23

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N15 "Reformation"

Work length30:54

$4.40

$6.00

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1984-02-19
Recording Venue: St. John's, Smith Square

I. Andante - Allegro con fuoco

Track length12:13

$1.10

$1.50

II. Allegro vivace

Track length5:48

$1.10

$1.50

III. Andante

Track length3:45

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Andante con moto (Chorale "Ein feste Burg")

Track length9:08

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Overture for Wind Instruments, Op. 24, MWV P1

Work length9:46

$1.10

$1.50

London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1986-11-26
Recording Venue: Abbey Road, Studio 1, London

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

It is in the choral Second Symphony that the advantage of the wide-ranging digital sound comes out most strikingly, in clarifying the big tuttis with choir, at the same time providing extra weight of sound, notably in the way that pedal notes on the organ come over in a rich and realistic way. As to interpretation, Abbado in the first instrumental movement conveys a keener sense of joy with a wide expressive range. The yearning 6/8 movement is the more haunting too at Abbado's much slower speed, and though Abbado's slower speed for the Andante religioso brings obvious dangers of sweetness and sentimentality, he manages to avoid them completely with his warm but unmannered phrasing. Again, in the choral finale Abbado's speeds tend to be a degree more relaxed and the sense of joyful release is all the keener. His three soloists are very fine and their tonal beauty and natural feeling for words and phrasing are a delight. So too is the singing of the London Symphony Chorus, particularly beautiful in the chorale, 'Nun danket alle Gott'. Abbado's expansiveness and his more luminous choral sound has one forgetting the obvious shortcomings of the work with its unavoidable element of Victorian blandness.
It is that avoidance of Victorian blandness which is striking in Abbado's accounts of Nos 1 and 5. In No 1 he is tough and biting, slower and simpler in the second movement, returning to a tough, dark manner for the Minuet and finale.
This is a performance which has one marvelling that Mendelssohn could have ever have countenanced the idea of the Octet Scherzo as substitute, a piece so different in mood. The first movement of the Reformation finds Abbado in dramatic mood, and crisper and again quicker in the second movement Allegro vivace. (For individual comments on the Scottish and Italian symphonies see following review.) As for the overtures they too bring fresh and attractive performances, very fast and fleet in the fairy music of A Midsummer NightsDream and with the contrast between first and second subjects of The Hebrides underlined.
This was one of Abbado's biggest recording projects with the orchestra of which he was music director, and remains a richly rewarding legacy.

Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Overtures

4 CDs

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