This album from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and conductor Sergiu Comissiona presents two works by Mendelssohn: the Symphony No. 4 “Italian,” and the Symphony No....

This album from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and conductor Sergiu Comissiona presents two works by Mendelssohn: the Symphony No. 4 “Italian,” and the Symphony No. 5 “Reformation.” The title Italian designates the symphony Mendelssohn began writing during a visit to Italy in 1930-31 and completed in Berlin on March 13, 1833, a few weeks after his 24th birthday. When he conducted the first performance two months later, at a Philharmonic concert in London, the work was very well received. Mendelssohn withheld the score from publication for several years in order to make revisions. The final version was not performed until the second anniversary of his death. The Reformation Symphony was begun in Wales in 1829, a few weeks after Mendelssohn made his first sketches for the Scotch Symphony during his very productive first visit to Britain. While the Scotch was set aside for more than 12 years, the Reformation was completed in 1830, for Mendelssohn intended it for presentation in the celebration of the tercentenary of the Augsburg Confession in June of that year. The event did not take place, however, and the Symphony was not performed until 1832 when it was introduced in Berlin. The score, however, remained unpublished until after his death.