Favourite Mendelssohn recordings

[Guest]

Inspired by Saturday’s BaL on Mendelssohn’s last string quartet, I’ve been listening to more Mendelssohn today.
Enjoying the symphonies (New Philharmonia, Sawallisch) and string symphonies (Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Markiz) courtesy of Brilliant Classics. What are contributors’ favourite Mendelssohn recordings?

[jayne lee wilson]

My God, how long have you got?......here's a start.........

For The Complete Symphonies it would be:

Musikkollegium Winterthur/var. conductors: Zehetmair/Holliger/Boyd (MDG)
COE/Nezet-Seguin (DG). (NO.5 here has the longer original version of the recitative between andante and finale).
LSO/JEG (LSO Live SACD)
CBSO/Gardner (Chandos SACD)
Impossible to choose just one, but if I really had to....probably the MDG for its uniquely warm, intimate, very distinct in-the-room MW sound, and the inclusion of the 2nd 1833/4 version of No.4, with its fascinating textual variants. The orchestra is recorded with chamber-orchestral delicacy and detail but with plenty of power-in-reserve. Holliger and Zehetmair have plenty of fresh interpretive ideas, to put it mildly!

I'd find it hard to live without the thrilling JEG versions though; with as you'd expect from this conductor a magnificent Hymn of Praise...
Want something more relaxed and expansive? Try the Gardner-without-the-i.

Exceptional separate issues:

4&5 - La Chambre Philharmonique/Krivine (Naive). The Reformation here has a stunning finale, unmatched by most others for physical exciitement...
2,4 and 5 Heidelberg/Fey (Hanssler - also a fine complete cycle available).

Don't have vast numbers of concerto recordings but for the Piano Concertos:

Brautigam/Kölner Akademie/Willens (BIS SACD). Brautigam's earlier recording is lovely too, but this at least outpoints it for the gorgeous period instruments and the exceptionally beautiful sound - exceptional even for BIS.

Violin Concerto:
Faust/Freiburg Baroque/Heras-Casado (HM)

[Edgy 2]

Symphonies - LSO Abbado
Symphonies - CoE Nezet Seguin
Symphonies and String Symphonies - Gewandhaus Orchester, Concerto Koln Masur
Midsummer Night's Dream - LSO Previn et al
Violin Concerto - Milstein NYPO Walter
Piano Sonatas - Frederic Chiu
String Quartets - Henschel Qt
Songs Without Words - Livia Rev
Organ sonatas 2 3 & 6 - Peter Hurford
Piano Trios - Trio Wanderer
Piano works inc Sonata No1 - Murray Perahia
Piano Concertos - Brautigam Kolner Akademie,Willens
Piano Concertos - Serkin Philadelphia/Columbia Ormandy
String Quintets - Fine Arts Qt + Rossi
Octet - Hausmusik
Cello Sonatas - Maisky,Tiempo
Elijah - Terfel Fleming et al , OAE Daniel

phew !

[Alison]

I’d urge you to investigate this performance from Mrs Service.

https://youtu.be/M5_3K1Wfza4

[silvestrione]

Symphonies - LSO Abbado
Symphonies - CoE Nezet Seguin
Symphonies and String Symphonies - Gewandhaus Orchester, Concerto Koln Masur
Midsummer Night's Dream - LSO Previn et al
Violin Concerto - Milstein NYPO Walter
Piano Sonatas - Frederic Chiu
String Quartets - Henschel Qt
Songs Without Words - Livia Rev
Organ sonatas 2 3 & 6 - Peter Hurford
Piano Trios - Trio Wanderer
Piano works inc Sonata No1 - Murray Perahia
Piano Concertos - Brautigam Kolner Akademie,Willens
Piano Concertos - Serkin Philadelphia/Columbia Ormandy
String Quintets - Fine Arts Qt + Rossi
Octet - Hausmusik
Cello Sonatas - Maisky,Tiempo
Elijah - Terfel Fleming et al , OAE Daniel

phew !

What an impressive list! But you've missed out his masterpiece...

[jayne lee wilson]

What an impressive list! But you've missed out his masterpiece...

Dying of tension, waiting for your big reveal.....

[Alison]

What an impressive list! But you've missed out his masterpiece...

The Hebrides?

[cloughie]

The Hebrides?

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Ov?

[Padraig]

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Ov?

his part in the revival of js bach? (eg Opus 35)

[Alison]

Ruy Blas

[Bryn]

What an impressive list! But you've missed out his masterpiece...

Paulus?

[Barbirollians]

Campoli and Menuhin in the Violin Concerto.

[CallMePaul]

Violin Concerto:][/B]
Faust/Freiburg Baroque/Heras-Casado (HM)

Agreed; there is a great performance of the Reformation symphony as well, not forgeting The Hebrides as filler. I ought to investigate the companion recording of the 3rd and 4th symphonies.

[Edgy 2]

What an impressive list! But you've missed out his masterpiece...

Of course the 1838 Violin Sonata.
I thought it was just me who considered it a mini masterpiece.
Check out the gorgeous slow movt from 10:19
The recording to go for is probably Milton/Grimsdottir on Naxos,Mutter/Previn on DG doesn't quite do it for me

[teamsaint]

Violin Concerto:
Faust/Freiburg Baroque/Heras-Casado (HM)

Just by way of conversation, I saw Faust play this at Basingstoke a few years ago. It was just astonishingly good.

So I ought to try to hear this recording I guess.
Another awful CD cover though.