Naxos
Mendelssohn: String Symphonies Vol 3 / Ward, Northern Co
$19.99
Details
- Composer
- MENDELSSOHN
- Artist
- Nicholas, Ward
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Naxos
- Released
- Jul 16, 1997
- Catalog #
- 8553163
- UPC
- 730099416320
About
With this third volume (the first two were reviewed in 12/96), Nicholas Ward and the Northern Chamber Orchestra complete their series of Mendelssohn’s youthful string symphonies, joining others who include the Hanover Band (RCA), the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam (BIS, 6/94, 9/95 and 11/96), the Concerto Cologne, the English String Orchestra (Nimbus, 3/89) and the London Festival Orchestra (Hyperion, 12/91). Once completely unknown outside the library, these delightful and in many ways enterprising works have been a natural draw to string orchestras, and since they demand plenty in the way of instrumental skill and liveliness but, really, little in the way of interpretative subtlety, it is unsurprising that there is not a great deal to choose between the different versions. In some of the earlier symphonies, Ward seemed to be setting unnecessarily fast tempos, which did not over-tax his players but which sometimes left the music too little time to breathe. There is no suggestion of this here: the Allegro molto finales of Nos. 11 and 12 speed along with a lively spring, but with plenty of air in the rhythms. Other tempos are nicely chosen, such as that of the Swiss song in No. 11, and Ward pays agreeable attention to the niceties of scoring which were absorbing the young Mendelssohn. There is plenty to enjoy here, and in the whole of his set. Roy Goodman’s Hanover Band have a particular brightness and charm, though their set is at full price. It also includes, as does Ward’s and that of the Concerto Cologne, the Thirteenth Symphony, the so-called Sinfoniesatz.
John Warrack, Gramophone [Awards Issue 1997]
John Warrack, Gramophone [Awards Issue 1997]
Tracklist 10 tracks
-
1 Adagio - Allegro 10:20
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Adagio - Allegro
- Duration
- 10:20
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
2 I. Adagio - Allegro molto 12:14
- Track
- 2
- Title
- I. Adagio - Allegro molto
- Duration
- 12:14
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
3 II. Scherzo: comodo (Schweizerlied) 03:54
- Track
- 3
- Title
- II. Scherzo: comodo (Schweizerlied)
- Duration
- 03:54
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
4 III. Adagio 07:49
- Track
- 4
- Title
- III. Adagio
- Duration
- 07:49
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
5 IV. Menuetto: Allegro moderato 04:26
- Track
- 5
- Title
- IV. Menuetto: Allegro moderato
- Duration
- 04:26
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
6 V. Allegro molto 09:58
- Track
- 6
- Title
- V. Allegro molto
- Duration
- 09:58
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
7 I. Fuga: Grave - Allegro 04:50
- Track
- 7
- Title
- I. Fuga: Grave - Allegro
- Duration
- 04:50
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
8 II. Andante 07:22
- Track
- 8
- Title
- II. Andante
- Duration
- 07:22
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
9 III. Allegro molto 09:43
- Track
- 9
- Title
- III. Allegro molto
- Duration
- 09:43
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward
-
10 Grave - Allegro molto 07:29
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Grave - Allegro molto
- Duration
- 07:29
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Ensemble
- Northern Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Nicholas Ward