Mendelssohn Symphony No 2
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Felix Mendelssohn
Label: EMI
Magazine Review Date: 9/1990
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 64
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 749764-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Symphony No. 2, 'Hymn of Praise' |
Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Düsseldorf Musikverein Chorus Felix Mendelssohn, Composer Krisztina Laki, Soprano Mitsuko Shirai, Mezzo soprano Peter Seiffert, Tenor Wolfgang Sawallisch, Conductor |
Composer or Director: Felix Mendelssohn
Label: Red Seal
Magazine Review Date: 9/1990
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 67
Catalogue Number: RD60248
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Symphony No. 2, 'Hymn of Praise' |
Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Bamberg Symphony Chorus Bamberg Symphony Orchestra Claus Peter Flor, Conductor Felix Mendelssohn, Composer Josef Protschka, Tenor Julie Kaufmann, Soprano Lucia Popp, Soprano |
Composer or Director: Felix Mendelssohn
Label: Red Seal
Magazine Review Date: 9/1990
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Catalogue Number: RK60248
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Symphony No. 2, 'Hymn of Praise' |
Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Bamberg Symphony Chorus Bamberg Symphony Orchestra Claus Peter Flor, Conductor Felix Mendelssohn, Composer Josef Protschka, Tenor Julie Kaufmann, Soprano Lucia Popp, Soprano |
Author: John Warrack
Mendelssohn's Lobgesang, or ''Song of Praise'', is an odd conception making its bid to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with a work that really consists of three symphonic movements lasting 25 minutes followed by a cantata of almost 40 minutes. The proportions are hopeless, neither improved by the awkwardness of much of the cantata nor rescued by the use of a hymnal motto theme (Alles, was Odem hat, lobe dem Herrn: ''Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord''). The work used to be among Mendelssohn's most popular, and seems to be becoming so again; for here are no fewer than four versions for consideration, not to mention other recently reissued ones by Chailly (Decca) and Karajan (DG), and the new Sawallisch is the fruit of concert performances in Berlin three years ago.
Sawallisch clearly admires the work, and responds to its strengths. He opens with a brave statement of the motto theme, keeping it well articulated throughout; and he takes the opening Maestoso forward with a great sense of strength. Flor, on the other new disc, is more fevered here, his tenseness not matching Sawallisch's dramatic tension. Flor's Bamberg chorus is rather small for the work, too, and though it tries well, it cannot really make the right effect with ''Alles, was Odem hat''; Sawallisch's Dusseldorf singers, though a little obscurely recorded in places, produce a greater sense of weight. In general, his experience allows him to pace the work to better effect than Flor, who can fall into a somewhat febrile overemphasis.
Of the singers, Flor has the stronger pair of ladies, with Lucia Popp and Julie Kaufmann singing beautifully together in ''Ich harrete des Herrn'', where Krisztina Laki is a little wobbly and not very well matched to Mitsuko Shirai. On the other hand, Peter Seiffert delivers a stronger and more lyrical performance of the beautiful ''Stricke des Todes'' than Josef Protschka. However, Protschka opens ''Drum sing' ich mit meinem Liede'' most affectingly, and is joined in kind by Popp; Seiffert sounds under great pressure, and does not accord so well with Laki. For Abbado (DG), the tenor is Hans Peter Blochwitz, a nice performance though one that must yield in authority to Peter Schreier for Masur (Teldec); the sopranos are Elizabeth Connell (excellent) and Karita Mattila for Abbado, Barbara Bonney and Edith Wiens for Masur.
There are, then, qualities to enjoy in each of these four performances; but of them, I continue to prefer Masur's. Abbado's version is beautifully done, with an elegance and excitement that help the work's incidental beauties; but Masur's response comes from deeper in the whole German heritage.'
Sawallisch clearly admires the work, and responds to its strengths. He opens with a brave statement of the motto theme, keeping it well articulated throughout; and he takes the opening Maestoso forward with a great sense of strength. Flor, on the other new disc, is more fevered here, his tenseness not matching Sawallisch's dramatic tension. Flor's Bamberg chorus is rather small for the work, too, and though it tries well, it cannot really make the right effect with ''Alles, was Odem hat''; Sawallisch's Dusseldorf singers, though a little obscurely recorded in places, produce a greater sense of weight. In general, his experience allows him to pace the work to better effect than Flor, who can fall into a somewhat febrile overemphasis.
Of the singers, Flor has the stronger pair of ladies, with Lucia Popp and Julie Kaufmann singing beautifully together in ''Ich harrete des Herrn'', where Krisztina Laki is a little wobbly and not very well matched to Mitsuko Shirai. On the other hand, Peter Seiffert delivers a stronger and more lyrical performance of the beautiful ''Stricke des Todes'' than Josef Protschka. However, Protschka opens ''Drum sing' ich mit meinem Liede'' most affectingly, and is joined in kind by Popp; Seiffert sounds under great pressure, and does not accord so well with Laki. For Abbado (DG), the tenor is Hans Peter Blochwitz, a nice performance though one that must yield in authority to Peter Schreier for Masur (Teldec); the sopranos are Elizabeth Connell (excellent) and Karita Mattila for Abbado, Barbara Bonney and Edith Wiens for Masur.
There are, then, qualities to enjoy in each of these four performances; but of them, I continue to prefer Masur's. Abbado's version is beautifully done, with an elegance and excitement that help the work's incidental beauties; but Masur's response comes from deeper in the whole German heritage.'
Mendelssohn Symphony No 2
Mendelssohn Symphony No 2
Mendelssohn Symphony No 2
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