Proms composer 2: Mendelssohn

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30
Proms Composer: Felix Mendelssohn
Katy Hamilton chooses five indispensable recordings of BBC Proms Composer Mendelssohn and explains why you need to hear them.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Recommended by Katy Hamilton

James Ehnes plays Mendelssohn
James Ehnes (violin)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Seattle Chamber Music Octet
Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor)
Onyx ONYX4060

Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
Marlis Petersen (soprano)
Lioba Braun (mezzo ‐ soprano)
Maximilian Schmitt (tenor)
Thomas Oliemans (baritone)
RIAS Kammerchor & Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin,
Hans‐Christoph Rademann (conductor)
Accentus Music ACC30356

Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 1-5
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
RIAS Kammerchor
Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor)
DG 4797337 (3 CDs)

Mendelssohn: Complete Songs Vol. 2
Malcolm Martineau (piano)
Mary Bevan & Sophie Bevan (soprano)
Paula Murrihy & Kitty Whately (mezzo soprano)
Robin Tritschler (tenor)
Jonathan McGovern & Benjamin Appl (baritone)
Champs Hill Records CHRCD091

David Oistrakh Collection Volume 9 – Music by Mendelssohn
David Oistrakh (violin)
Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (cello)
Vladimir Yampolsky (piano)
Pyotr Bondarenko (violin)
Mikhail Terian (viola)
Doremi DHR7790

[Alison]

An enjoyable feature from the ubiquitous Katy Hamilton.

Just wish I could get on with the Yannick DG set of the symphonies, too steroidal and ‘knowing’ for my admittedly old fashioned taste. By contrast Petrenko’s Reformation really hit the spot this week.

[gurnemanz]

Good to hear the oft-neglected (not by me) songs given some prominence. I have quite a few recordings already, including Janet Baker with Geoffrey Parsons, Brigitte Fassbaender with Erik Werba, Fischer-Dieskau with Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Hyperion complete Songs and Duets, but look forward to investigating the Champs Hill edition sampled here.

My most recent Mendelssohn song acquisition is a group of his duets sung by Carolyn Sampson (soprano) and Iestyn Davies (countertenor) on their beautiful Lost is My Quiet disc on BIS

[jayne lee wilson]

An enjoyable feature from the ubiquitous Katy Hamilton.

Just wish I could get on with the Yannick DG set of the symphonies, too steroidal and ‘knowing’ for my admittedly old fashioned taste. By contrast Petrenko’s Reformation really hit the spot this week.

Each to her own as ever Alison, but as you know I adore the COE/YNS set (Gramophone Record of the Month 9/2017, from the excellent Richard Wigmore).
Not sure what you mean by "steroidal" here (anabolic or anti-inflammatory? ), I find it both musically faithful and interpretively individual, svelte and suave, elegantly shaped but passionate where it should be (the original 5th Petrenko played the other night, with the longer andante/finale transition is here, rarely recorded). And superbly well-recorded.
One of my go-tos for the symphonies, alongside the Musikkollegium Winterthur (MDG, with Holliger/Zehetmair/Boyd conducting) and the often hair-raising thrill-ride of the LSO/JEG CD/SACD/HIRES set - really has you wide-eyed!
Freiburg/Heras-Cadado always creatively challenging too, if inconsistent (great 5th Symphony though).

I know its a personal choice, but I'm very disappointed to see no String Quartets or Quintets in the 5 (just an excerpt in the Oistrakh, IIRC) - some of Mendelssohn's very greatest, most innovative, haunting and lovable, music lies among them....

[ardcarp]

Mendelssohn favourites

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ym5s

Katy Hamilton chooses five indispensable recordings of BBC Proms Composer Felix Mendelssohn and explains why you need to hear them

Not sure about 'indispensable', but the five she chose were a reasonable representation of Felix's huge output; except (IMHO of course) the Scottish Symphony. I'm glad she chose the 2nd movement, as it has some of the light orchestral colour Mendelssohn was capable of, e.g. in Midsummer Night's Dream. The reason I'm posting this is because The Scottish is my least favourite of his symphonies. The first movement for instance is rather thickly scored and goes on (again IMVHO) for far too long! Now, The Italian is surely a better representation of the symphonic Mendelssohn...a joyous and uplifting first movement, with that wonderful slow movement depicting a funeral procession. And of course a joyful Saltarello to conclude.

I've used the IMHO or IMVHO abbreviation. But my thoughts are formed partly at least from having conducted both symphonies more than once. Orchestral players really enjoy The Italian, but have to try really hard to sustain their interest at times in The Scottish. Does anyone else have similar experiences?

[jayne lee wilson]

See...

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?23332-Proms-composer-2-Mendelssohn

I adore this music unreservedly. Perhaps the mods could move this comment over...? Thanks....

[richardfinegold]

Each to her own as ever Alison, but as you know I adore the COE/YNS set (Gramophone Record of the Month 9/2017, from the excellent Richard Wigmore).
Not sure what you mean by "steroidal" here (anabolic or anti-inflammatory? ), I find it both musically faithful and interpretively individual, svelte and suave, elegantly shaped but passionate where it should be (the original 5th Petrenko played the other night, with the longer andante/finale transition is here, rarely recorded). And superbly well-recorded.
One of my go-tos for the symphonies, alongside the Musikkollegium Winterthur (MDG, with Holliger/Zehetmair/Boyd conducting) and the often hair-raising thrill-ride of the LSO/JEG CD/SACD/HIRES set - really has you wide-eyed!
Freiburg/Heras-Cadado always creatively challenging too, if inconsistent (great 5th Symphony though).

I know its a personal choice, but I'm very disappointed to see no String Quartets or Quintets in the 5 (just an excerpt in the Oistrakh, IIRC) - some of Mendelssohn's very greatest, most innovative, haunting and lovable, music lies among them....

Agree with everything here. I really enjoyed the YNS set and to omit all of quartets from a “greatest hits” compilation is an unfortunate oversight. When you add in the Piano Trios, FM was the greatest Chamber Music Composer of the Romantic era until Brahms