BaL 1.06.19 - Mendelssohn: Symphony no. 4 "Italian"

[Bryn]

In my own experience, the listings are right, the reviews (which I scarcely ever bother to look at anymore anyway) wrongly attached....if I did notice the discrepancy it wouldn't stop me ordering.

I can rarely recall the wrong CD arriving (apart from a Tennstedt Mahler 5 when the European rather than the Toshiba one came), in many years of Amazon orders from all over....maybe it is just luck, I don't know.

I'll let you know what transpires. ETA, June 6th.

[Alison]

One of my first CDs was the Sinopoli recording with the Schubert Unfinished as coupling.

His first DG recording I think and certainly the first with the Philharmonia. Altogether joyous music making.

Good timps a prerequisite in this work

[MickyD]

I've always been very fond of the Hanover Band/Goodman recording, but then I am one of the few unashamed fans of that large Nimbus acoustic.

[pastoralguy]

One of my first CDs was the Sinopoli recording with the Schubert Unfinished as coupling.

His first DG recording I think and certainly the first with the Philharmonia. Altogether joyous music making.

Good timps a prerequisite in this work

Yes, I had that disc too. A Rosette in the Guide to Penguins iirc.

[gurnemanz]

A favourite CD version is the Tennstedt/Berlin PO which I acquired a few years ago via the 14 disc EMI Tennstedt Great Recordings Box (still around and at a good price, fittingly coupled with a very good Schubert Ninth, which Mendelssohn had conducted in its belated first performance at the Gewandhaus in 1839.)

My long-standing only LP version for many years was Masur/Leipzig Gewandhaus.

[Goon525]

Yes, I had that disc too. A Rosette in the Guide to Penguins iirc.

Me too. Perhaps Sinopoli's best record?

[pastoralguy]

Me too. Perhaps Sinopoli's best record?

His Schubert 9 was pretty good, iirc as was his Elgar 'In The South' Overture where he really had the mighty Philharmonia firing on all cylinders!

[Alison]

His Schubert 9 was pretty good, iirc as was his Elgar 'In The South' Overture where he really had the mighty Philharmonia firing on all cylinders!

Yes In the South was a ‘demonstration’ disc in its day!

The sound of the Mendelssohn was very warm and detailed with a very realistic orchestral balance, good front to back perspective. Really must search out this one again!

[LeMartinPecheur]

I've always been very fond of the Hanover Band/Goodman recording, but then I am one of the few unashamed fans of that large Nimbus acoustic.

Ooh, one I'd forgotten in my #10. Recently acquired in this set though not the reason for buying

Knew there would another one lurking somewhere - duly added to my first posting.

[jayne lee wilson]

Me too. Perhaps Sinopoli's best record?

Well, there's some outstanding Schumann and Bruckner to take into account, 2nd Viennese Songs/Orchestral too - most of these with the Staatskapelle, and Mahler with the Philharmonia. A groundbreaking album of Maderna with the NDR - (to be fair, later recordings, especially the NEOS Maderna Edition, have shown more panache and confidence here, but a wonderful initiative at the time.). But all that's for another thread....
Deeply fascinating individualist with an infinitesimal care for orchestral detail and transparency. And a truly rich recorded catalogue.

His Elgar Symphonies really divided the reviewers (unsurprisingly)... but he always had his own, extremely-thought-through approach to large symphonic structures, the details and textures within them.

He died terribly, tragically early of a heart attack, while conducting Aida at the Deutsche Oper....aged just 54. Imagine what he might have gone on to.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

We seem to get movements from this symphony nearly every day on R3's bleeding chunks programmes.

[visualnickmos]

His Elgar Symphonies really divided the reviewers (unsurprisingly)... but he always had his own, extremely-thought through approach to large symphonic structures, the details and textures within them.

Imagine what he might have gone on to.

A comparatively recent discovery for me. Love 'em!

[MickyD]

Ooh, one I'd forgotten in my #10. Recently acquired in this set though not the reason for buying

Knew there would another one lurking somewhere - duly added to my first posting.

That set is worth having just for the incredibly exciting performance of the overture to "Anacréon" by Cherubini...

[BBMmk2]

Not all that keen on this work.

[CallMePaul]

I bought Orozco-Estrada's Reformation symphony mainly for Isabella Faust'sperformance of the Violin Concerto and enjoyed both performances, so his would be my choice for the Italian/ Scottish coupling. I much prefer smaller orchestras (period or modern instruments) in symphonic music of the period to full symphony orchestras with massed strings doing their best to obscure detail in the wind and brass sections. At present I only have the LSO/ Abbado recording on LP.

My guess is that we will only hear a handful (less than 10) recordings and do not know if these will be pre-selected by the reviewer or Radio3 production staff.