Mendelssohn’s choral symphony, the Hymn of Praise, still deserves a wider currency than it presently enjoys. Cast as a hybrid orchestral symphony/choral cantata, it offers some of Mendelssohn’s most lyrical melodic writing (especially in the liltingly restless second movement, Allegretto un poco agitato), as well as a wealth of memorably sturdy choral sections. Commissioned by Leipzig’s City Council in 1840 to mark the 400th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of letterpress printing, Mendelssohn rose to the occasion with a heartfelt hour-long celebratory piece which was groundbreaking in its overall form and use of thematic transformation. He was rightfully enthusiastic about the result. Of the three orchestral movements, the slow Adagio religioso is suitably prayerful, with some exquisitely voiced (and tuned) passages for woodwind and horns, and warm-toned divided violas and cellos. The Swiss orchestra of the Musikkollegium Winterthur clearly relish this languid music in particular.

The transition from symphony to cantata is achieved with a beautifully judged bridge which builds up to a glowing first choral entry. Fugal entries are crisp, with sprightly dotted rhythms. The trio of soloists are all of high calibre and caught by the microphones quite naturally in a spacious acoustic. Jörg Dürmüller phrases with great intelligence and a lithe assurance. The two sopranos are well matched and – despite an occasional tuning mishap – blend superbly with the horn obbligato in their ‘I waited for the Lord’ duet.

Douglas Boyd draws out all of the poetic potential of this underrated masterpiece. This new interpretation must be one of the top contenders.