Chandos
Mendelssohn in Birmingham Vol 2 / Gardner
$21.99
Only 2 left
Details
- Composer
- MENDELSSOHN, FELIX
- Artist
- Gardner
- Format
- SACD
- Label
- Chandos
- Released
- Sep 30, 2014
- Catalog #
- CHSA 5139
- UPC
- 095115513927
About
Edward Gardner and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra present Volume 2 in their series Mendelssohn in Birmingham; this time they perform Symphonies Nos 1 and 3 and the Overture to Ruy Blas. The impressive first volume was roundly praised, International Record Review commending the ‘powerfully engaging and alert performances’, while The Sunday Times made it their ‘Album of the Week’.
Among the fruits of his prodigiously gifted youth were thirteen string symphonies, which Mendelssohn composed privately as ‘practice’ pieces. At age fifteen he returned to the last of these, expanded the orchestration, and published it as the first of his mature numbered symphonies. As heard here, this energetic work, bursting with youthful high spirits, shows the influence of Mozart, Beethoven, and Weber, but that influence is always absorbed in a personal way.
Although numbered as the third of five, the ‘Scottish’ Symphony was actually the last which Mendelssohn composed. Inspiration for it had come while Mendelssohn was visiting Edinburgh in 1829. He was immediately moved to compose the brooding melody that begins and ends the work, but not until 1842 did he actually finish this masterpiece.
No such time span was needed to complete the Overture to Victor Hugo’s tragedy Ruy Blas, which was commissioned only three days before the production’s opening night. Mendelssohn loathed Hugo’s drama and though the opening is suitably sombre, the rest of the overture disregards the play’s form and character, concluding in celebration where Hugo’s story culminates in murder and suicide.
Review:
Gardner conducts these pieces with a highly satisfying blend of freedom and discipline. In some of Mendelssohn's more lyrical moments you need a metronome to judge his rhythmic flexibility, so naturally does he apply it, and throughout the disc the strings articulate with splendid vigor.
– BBC Music Magazine
Among the fruits of his prodigiously gifted youth were thirteen string symphonies, which Mendelssohn composed privately as ‘practice’ pieces. At age fifteen he returned to the last of these, expanded the orchestration, and published it as the first of his mature numbered symphonies. As heard here, this energetic work, bursting with youthful high spirits, shows the influence of Mozart, Beethoven, and Weber, but that influence is always absorbed in a personal way.
Although numbered as the third of five, the ‘Scottish’ Symphony was actually the last which Mendelssohn composed. Inspiration for it had come while Mendelssohn was visiting Edinburgh in 1829. He was immediately moved to compose the brooding melody that begins and ends the work, but not until 1842 did he actually finish this masterpiece.
No such time span was needed to complete the Overture to Victor Hugo’s tragedy Ruy Blas, which was commissioned only three days before the production’s opening night. Mendelssohn loathed Hugo’s drama and though the opening is suitably sombre, the rest of the overture disregards the play’s form and character, concluding in celebration where Hugo’s story culminates in murder and suicide.
Review:
Gardner conducts these pieces with a highly satisfying blend of freedom and discipline. In some of Mendelssohn's more lyrical moments you need a metronome to judge his rhythmic flexibility, so naturally does he apply it, and throughout the disc the strings articulate with splendid vigor.
– BBC Music Magazine
Tracklist 9 tracks
-
1 Ruy Blas Overture, Op. 95, MWV P 15 07:20
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Ruy Blas Overture, Op. 95, MWV P 15
- Duration
- 07:20
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
2 I. Allegro di molto 09:42
- Track
- 2
- Title
- I. Allegro di molto
- Duration
- 09:42
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
3 II. Andante 05:50
- Track
- 3
- Title
- II. Andante
- Duration
- 05:50
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
4 III. Menuetto. Allegro molto - Trio 06:20
- Track
- 4
- Title
- III. Menuetto. Allegro molto - Trio
- Duration
- 06:20
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
5 IV. Allegro con fuoco - Più stretto 07:53
- Track
- 5
- Title
- IV. Allegro con fuoco - Più stretto
- Duration
- 07:53
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
6 I. Introduction. Andante con moto – Allegro un poco agitato – Assai animato – Andante come prima - 15:14
- Track
- 6
- Title
- I. Introduction. Andante con moto – Allegro un poco agitato – Assai animato – Andante come prima -
- Duration
- 15:14
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
7 II. Scherzo. Vivace non troppo - 04:14
- Track
- 7
- Title
- II. Scherzo. Vivace non troppo -
- Duration
- 04:14
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
8 III. Adagio cantabile - 08:51
- Track
- 8
- Title
- III. Adagio cantabile -
- Duration
- 08:51
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner
-
9 IV. Finale guerriero. Allegro vivacissimo – Allegro maestoso assai 08:51
- Track
- 9
- Title
- IV. Finale guerriero. Allegro vivacissimo – Allegro maestoso assai
- Duration
- 08:51
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Edward Gardner