1. Overture "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Op.21	Philharmonia Orchestra	 12:18	
2. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.1 Scherzo	Philharmonia Orchestra	5:08
3. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.2. L'istesso tempo	Philharmonia Orchestra	1:36	
4. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - English version - Song with chorus: "You spotted snakes"	Arleen Augér	3:59	
5. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.5 Intermezzo	Philharmonia Orchestra	2:12	
6. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.7 Notturno	Philharmonia Orchestra	6:27
7. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.9 Wedding March	Philharmonia Orchestra	4:13
8. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.10 a) Prologue	Philharmonia Orchestra	0:20
9. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.10 b) Funeral March	Philharmonia Orchestra	1:10
10. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - No.11 Dance of the Clowns	Philharmonia Orchestra	1:30
11. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Incidental Music - English version - Finale: "Though this house give glimm'ring light"	Arleen Augér	4:40

Arleen Auger
Ann Murray
Ambrosian Singers
Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus
Neville Marriner – conductor

This music is sheer beauty. Very tuneful with many intricate embelleshments between the strings and brass. Tones both loud and soft are so pleasing to the ear. And the role of the singers fits the scene perfectly. In other words plenty of balance. I am a little biased but I always loved the Wedding March. And the Philharmonia Orchestra certainly performs it so well. The Nocturne that precedes it also holds a tender moment in my heart and soul. There is so much to digest of this fine Mendelssohn work that I am sure that it will be a treasure for my ears for many years to come. You will not go wrong. --- G. J Wiener, amazon.com

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1. Overture, Op. 21
2. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 1 Scherzo
3. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 2 L'istesso Tempo: 'How now, spirit, whither wander you?'
4. Incidental Music, Op.61: Fairy March
5. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 3 Song With Chorus
6. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 4 Andante: 'What thou seest when thou dost wake?'
7. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 5 Intermezzo. Allegro Aspassionato: 'This is thy negligence'
8. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 7 Notturno
9. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 8 Andante: 'And now I have the boy'
10. Incidental Music, Op.61: No. 9 Wedding March
11. Incidental Music, Op.61: Finale. Allegro Di Molto: 'Through the house give glimmering'

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Kenneth Branagh (Spoken Vocals)
Claudio Abbado - conductor

It’s good to be able to report that Abbado’s Mendelssohn is as fresh and vivacious as ever. His LSO recordings of the symphonies (on DG) were very fine, but this new Berlin account of the Italian Symphony – recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonic’s 1995 New Year’s Eve Concert – positively crackles with energy, especially in the whirlwind finale. The second movement’s procession is beguilingly phrased and Abbado even convinces me that the weak Minuet is worth its place in this otherwise utterly marvellous work. The performance of Mendelssohn’s equally delightful incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream is taken from the same concert, though Kenneth Branagh’s narration was added later (he projects well and the acoustics are well matched, so the result feels perfectly natural). The extracts Branagh uses fit well with Mendelssohn’s music (of which we hear all the important numbers) and concentrate on the central tussle between Titania and Oberon and the latter’s confused conspiracy with Puck to untangle the love lives of the young Athenians. It’s a heroic attempt to capture some of the magic of the play, and Branagh passes with flying colours (though I’m not totally convinced by Puck as a leprechaun). A delightful disc, then, beautifully packaged – though, curiously, without programme notes.-- Stephen Maddock, BBC Music Magazine

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1. Warum toben die Heiden, Opus 78 No. 1 
2. Mein Gott, warum hast du mich verlassen, Opus 78 No. 3
3. Herr nun lässest di deinen Diener, Opus 69 No. 1 
4. Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
5. Mitten wir im Leben sind, Opus 23 No. 3 
6. Sechs Sprüche, Opus 79 
7. Hymne: 'Hör mein Bitten, Herr' 

Rebecca Evans (soprano)
Greta de Reyghere (soprano)
La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale Ghent
Johan Huys (organ)
Philippe Herreweghe - conductor

Rec May 1984, l'Église des Carmes, Gand

This welcome reissue of beautifully recorded performances from 1984 reinforces my view that Mendelssohn is too often represented by the same few pieces which are not necessarily his best. Of course the Scottish and Italian Symphonies, to name but two examples, are splendid pieces in their own right, but relatively speaking they are over-played and over-recorded, and the composer did better elsewhere: in chamber music and in vocal works such as these.

Yet this collection is no more than a representative sample of a field in which Mendelssohn was prolific. And besides that there are the larger works, such as the oratorios and the setting of Goethe's Die erste Walpurgisnacht; but these smaller pieces find him at his most inspired.

Philippe Herreweghe is a major artist and deals with the issues of scale and phrase with consummate judgement. The chosen acoustic is absolutely right too, allowing for plenty of bloom in the sound amid a spacious and expansive context.

Herreweghe's La Chapelle Royale and Collegium Vocale of Ghent perform with the utmost sensitivity of line and phrase, while the acoustic really does allow the music to float away when required, or conversely to make maximum impact during climactic phases. There might be one or two queries about the editions used. Opus 69, for example, is a group of 'English Church Pieces' from 1847, and the featured item, Herr nun lässest du deinen Diener, is a setting of the Nunc Dimittis. Perhaps these European editions should be seen as a tribute to Mendelssohn's sophisticated eclecticism. But in these performances the versions sung in German do sound entirely right, for example the Opus 79 Anthems, of which the same question can be asked.

There are abundant examples of really beautiful singing, beautifully recorded. In selecting for special praise the lower and upper voice contrasts at the beginning of Mitten wir im Leben sind, the third of the Opus 23 Motets, the tribute is as much to Mendelssohn's beautifully judged scoring and pitching of the parts as to the tone quality and pacing of the performers. There is nothing finer on the disc, despite this music being from 1830 when the composer was just twenty-one. But then not even Mozart outshines Mendelssohn in the child prodigy-teenage master stakes.

Greta de Reyghere is a fine soprano soloist in this repertoire. The balancing does not give her undue favour in the recorded perspective, which is therefore absolutely true to the musical aesthetic, since under-statement and beauty of line and texture have priority at every turn.

The clearest evidence of this occurs in the final item in the sequence, the fresh and ardent hymn Hear my Prayer, O Lord, in which the opening phase places the solo voice beautifully against the tasteful tones of the organ.

There is an interesting accompanying essay on Mendelssohn's sacred vocal music by Herreweghe himself. However, this would have been better as an extra item to a conventional note itemising the background and nature of each individual piece. Alas nothing of the latter type is included. There are full texts and translations, printed and presented very clearly. ---Terry Barfoot , musicweb-international.com

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1. Overture
2. Der du bist der Gott (Chorus)
3. Chorale: Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr' (Chorus)
4. Recitative and Duet: Die Menge der Glaubigen (Soprano, Bass)
5. Dieser Mensch hort nicht auf (Chorus)
6. Recitative: Und sie sahen auf ihn (Soprano, Tenor, Chorus)
7. Aria: Jerusalem! Die du totest die Propheten (Soprano)
8. Recitative: Sie aber sturmten auf ihn ein (Tenor, Chorus)
9. Recitative: Und sie steinigten ihn (Tenor) - Chorale: Dir, Herr, dir will ich mich ergeben (Chorus)
10. Recitative: Und die Zeugen legten ab ihre Kleider (Soprano)
11. Siehe! Wir preisen selig (Chorus)
12. Recitative: Saulus aber zerstorte die Gemeinde (Tenor) - Aria: Vertilge sie, Herr Zebaoth (Bass)
13. Recitative: Und zog mit einer Schar (Alto) - Arioso: Doch der Herr vergisst der Seinen nicht (Alto)
14. Recitative: Und als er auf dem Wege war (Tenor, Bass, Chorus)
15. Mache dich auf! Werde Licht! (Chorus)
16. Chorale: Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme (Chorus)
17. Recitative: Die Manner aber, die seine Gefahrten waren (Tenor)
18. Aria: Gott, sei mir gnadig (Bass)
19. Recitative: Es war aber ein Junger (Tenor, Soprano)
20. Aria: Ich danke dir, Herr, mein Gott (Bass, Chorus)
21. Recitative: Und Ananias ging hin (Soprano, Tenor)
22. O welch eine Tiefe des Reichtums (Chorus)
23. Fugue: Der Erdkreis ist nun des Herrn (Chorus)
24. Recitative: Und Paulus kam (Soprano)
25. Duet: So sind wir nun Botschafter (Tenor, Bass)
26. Wie lieblich sind die Boten (Chorus)
27. Recitative: Und wie sie ausgesandt von dem Heiligen Geist (Soprano) - Arioso: Lasst uns singen von der Gnade (Soprano)
28. Recitative: Da aber die Juden das Volk sahen (Tenor, Chorus)
29. Ist das nicht (Chorus) - Chorale: O Jesu Christe (Chorus)
30. Recitative: Paulus aber und Barnabas sprachen (Tenor, Bass)
31. Duet: Denn also hat uns der Herr geboten (Bass, Tenor)
32. Recitative: Und es war ein Mann (Soprano)
33. Die Gotter sind den Menschen gleich geworden (Chorus)
34. Recitative: Und nannten Barnabas Jupiter (Soprano)
35. Seid uns gnadig (Chorus)
36. Recitative: Da das die Apostel horten (Tenor) - Aria: Ihr Manner - Wisset ihr nicht (Bass) - Aber unser Gott - Wir glauben (Chorus)
37. Recitative: Da ward das Volk erreget (Soprano)
38. Hier ist des Herren Tempel (Chorus)
39. Recitative: Und sie alle verfolgten Paulus (Soprano)
40. Cavatina: Sei getreu bis in den Tod (Tenor)
41. Recitative: Paulus sandte hin (Soprano, Bass)
42. Schone doch deiner selbst (Chorus) - Recitative: Was machet ihr (Bass, Tenor)
43. Sehet, welch eine Liebe (Chorus)
44. Recitative: Und wenn er gleich geopfert wird (Soprano)
45. Nicht aber ihm allein (Chorus)

Maria Cristina Kiehr, (soprano) (Ananias)
Werner Güra, (tenor) (Barnabas)
Michael Volle, (bass) (Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul)
Patrick Pobeschin, (bass)
Adolph Seidel, (bass)
Sigrum Maria Borntrager, (alto)
Maria Bernius, (soprano)
Julian Prégardien, (tenor)
Sonntraud Engels-Benz (organ)

Kammerchor Stuttgart
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Frieder Bernius - conductor

rec. 16-17, 19 September 2005 at Forum Ludwigsburg, Germany.

Compared to Elijah, Paulus (or St Paul) comes a distant second in recording terms but not musical. It suffered from, amongst others, George Bernard Shaw dismissing the work as "despicable oratorio mongering" with "dreary fugues"! One wouldn't recognise such a description from the performance given under Frieder Bernius' baton and this is one of a projected series of recordings [it is unclear at present whether these will be SACD's as well] to be issued by Carus Verlag in conjunction with their printed edition. An incidental point is that Carus Verlag estimate the performance time to be about 145 minutes; Bernius manages to knock 10 minutes off this duration!

Still, matters of following the text slavishly or otherwise, this is a musical joy. With antiphonal violins, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen play with vigour, sensitivity, weight and lightness as and when the music demands. The relatively small numbers mean that the textures are naturally clear and bright without any need for spotlighting, even when the full chorus joins them. The chorus is the Kammerchor Stuttgart and like the orchestra, they are small in size but just enough to give enough heft to the weightier numbers. Making up the performers are Maria Cristina Kiehr (who manages to successfully sing both the mezzo and soprano roles without a hint of strain at either end of the registers), Werner Güra (tenor) and Michael Volle (bass).

Carus have managed to fit each part onto a separate disc, so there is no need to break mid-part and each number is allocated its own track - a nice feature that, surprisingly, isn't always followed. One slightly sad aspect to the music is that Mendelssohn did not see fit to write many duets or trios for the soloists - this is an oratorio for the chorus. What choruses and chorales he wrote though - if only the great GBS could have heard such a performance as this and he would have eaten his words! As alluded to earlier, Bernius is no slouch at the helm but he never rushes the music; he brings out the natural joy of the piece while giving the more sombre aspects time to be reflective and gain natural gravitas. The emotions are allowed to build and subside naturally in a way that is never forced whilst retaining the overarching musical threads - never an easy task but Bernius acquits himself admirably.

Despite the many mentions of English language performances under Mendelssohn's baton, it is worth noting that the première took place in Düsseldorf, so the German language version should be considered the Urtext. English translations are provided with a nice touch, they were written by a contemporary of Mendelssohn (presumably for the occasion of the tour that Mendelssohn conducted this work in English speaking countries).

The recording is fully up to the standard of the rest of the enterprise and allows all the detail to shine through in a most pleasingly natural fashion - I am really taken with this set and hope that the promised Elijah, Lobgesang and 2 volumes of choral cantatas are planned as SACD's - we will find out in 2008. --- Polly Nomial, sa-cd.net

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Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.25
1. Molto allegro con fuoco		6:55
2. Andante		6:43
3. Presto		6:01

4. Mendelssohn: Variations sérieuses, Op.54		10:58	
5. Mendelssohn: Rondo capriccioso, Op.14		6:03	

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No.2 in D minor, Op.40
6. Allegro appassionato		8:38	
7. 2. Adagio. Molto sostenuto		6:32
8. Finale. Presto scherzando		5:52

Jean Yves Thibaudet  – piano
Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt - conductor

Mendelssohn's two sparkling, scintillating piano concertos deserve wider acknowledgement of their quality, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet is just the pianist to take up their cause. These vivacious, capricious pieces suit this pianist's technique down to the ground: he is capable of glittering passage work, a dreamlike lightness and is easily the equal to Mendelssohn's myriad technical challenges. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra has a special historic relationship with Mendelssohn, indeed, in the 19th century he conducted the ensemble for more than a decade. Under Blomstedt, textures are clear and transparent and rhythms are consistently tight. There is obviously a close rapport between conductor and soloist, a meeting of kindred spirits, which shows these concertos in the best possible light. In addition, Decca's recording is crystal clear and perfectly focussed with just enough space around it.

It was an inspired idea to sandwich solo works in-between the concertos. The same qualities that distinguish Thibaudet's concertos shine through these pieces. He builds the Variations sérieuses to a resounding, thrilling close. The opening Andante section of the Rondo capriccioso is sung with the most beautiful, liquid legato. This disc will bring real and lasting pleasure. --Colin Clarke, amazon.com

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Symphony No.1 In C Minor Op.11
1. Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.11 - 1. Allegro Di Molto	8:14
2. Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.11 - 2. Andante		6:26	
3. Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.11 - 3. Menuetto (Allegro Molto)		7:01	
4. Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.11 - 4. Allegro Con Fuoco		8:31

Symphony No.2 In B Flat Major Op.52 "Hymn Of Praise"
1. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 1. Sinfonia: Maestoso Con Moto	12:40
2. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 1. Sinfonia: Allegretto Un Poco Agitato	5:47
3. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 1. Sinfonia: Adagio Religioso	7:41
4. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 2. ''Alles, Was Odem Hat, Lobe Den Herrn!'' - ''Lobt Den Herrn Mit Saitenspiel'' - ''Lobe Den Herrn, Meine Seele''		7:25	
5. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 3. ''Saget Es, Die Ihr Erlöst Seid'' - ''Er Zählet Unsre Tränen''		2:55
6. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 4. ''Sagt Es, Die Ihr Erlöset Seid''		1:58
7. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 5. ''Ich Harrete Des Herrn''	6:19	$0.99
8. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise' - 6. 'Stricke Des Todes Hatten Uns Umfangen''	4:46
9. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 7. ''Die Nacht Ist Vergangen''	4:40	
10. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 8. ''Nun Danket Alle Gott'' - ''Lob, Ehr' Und Preis Sei Gott''		4:12
11. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 9. ''Drum Sing Ich Mit Meinem Liede Ewig''	4:55	
12. Symphony No.2 In B Flat, Op.52 - ''Hymn Of Praise'' - 10. ''Ihr Völker, Bringet Her Dem Herrn Ehre Und Macht'' - ''Alles Danke Dem Herrn!'' - ''Alles, Was Odem Hat, Lobe Den Herrn!''	6:24

Symphony No.3 In A Minor, Op.56 "Scottish"
1. Symphony No.3 In A Minor, Op.56 - ''Scottish'' - 1. Andante Con Moto - Allegro Un Poco Agitato - Assai Animato - Andante Come Prima		13:58
2. Symphony No.3 In A Minor, Op.56 - ''Scottish'' - 2. Vivace Non Troppo	4:25	
3. Symphony No.3 In A Minor, Op.56 - ''Scottish'' - 3. Adagio		11:48
4. Symphony No.3 In A Minor, Op.56 - ''Scottish'' - 4. Allegro Vivacissimo - Allegro Maestoso Assai	9:24

Symphony No.4 In A Major, Op.90 "Italian"
5. Symphony No.4 In A, Op.90 - ''Italian'' - 1. Allegro Vivace		8:02
6. Symphony No.4 In A, Op.90 - ''Italian'' - 2. Andante Con Moto		6:26
7. Symphony No.4 In A, Op.90 - ''Italian'' - 3. Con Moto Moderato		7:59	
8. Symphony No.4 In A, Op.90 - ''Italian'' - 4. Saltarello (Presto)		5:39

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan – conductor

Karajan recorded this cycle in the early 70's when he was at the peak of his conducting career. It is widely considered to be one of his best recordings of this period. The whole recording sounds surprisingly fresh. The Hymn of Praise brings a captivating, completely full sound... The choral singing is remarkable in its vividness. Both the Scottish Symphony and the Italian one demonstrates why the Berliner Philarmoniker was king of the hill at that point in time: superb playing with displays of geniality that would put a smile on Mendelssohn's face. A must have! --- Javier Luna, amazon.com

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1) I Allegro molto appassionato
2) II Andante
3) III Allegro molto vivace

Isabelle Faust - violin

Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Marek Janowski, conductor

Live broadcast from the Philharmonie Berlin
February 24, 2009

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Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
1) I Allegro molto appassionato (13:00)
2) II Andante (8:01)
3) III Allegro molto vivace (5:53)

Janine Jansen - violin
Gewandhausorchester
Riccardo Chailly - conductor

This is an absolutely stunning performance! Although I love Mendelssohn's violin concerto so much I hesitated buying this CD at once. I just had hard time finding the ONE recording for my taste believe or not. However this beautiful young lady impressed me way much more than I expected! Wonderful feeling, power, technique are there with a great tonality. Orchestra/Chally is superb, really a great work all together. I guess this will stop me from hunting for another great recording of the Mendelssohn for a while. ---Vissi d'arte, amazon.com

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CD1
1. Introduction: As God the Lord of Israel liveth (Elijah)	1:15
2. Overture	3:34						play
3. No. 1 - Help, Lord! Wilt thou quite destroy us?	4:21
4. No. 2 - Lord! Bow Thine ear to our prayer!	2:08
5. No. 3 - Ye people, rend your hearts (Obadiah)	0:54
6. No. 4 - If with all your hearts (Obadiah)		2:35
7. No. 5 - Yet doth the Lord see it not (chorus)	4:13
8. No. 6 - Elijah! Get thee hence (Angel I)		0:52
9. No. 7 - For He shall give His angels charge over thee (semi-chorus)	2:08
10. Recit. Now Cherith's brook is dried up (Angel I)	1:12
11. No. 8 - What have I to do with thee? (Widow, Elijah)	6:37
12. No. 9 - Blessed are the men who fear Him (chorus)	3:48
13. No. 10 - As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth (Elijah, Ahab, chorus)	4:27
14. No. 11 - Baal, we cry to thee; hear and answer us! (chorus)	3:23
15. No. 12 - Call him louder, for he is a god! (Elijah, chorus)	1:08
16. No. 13 - Call him louder! He heareth not! (Elijah, chorus)	2:11
17. No. 14 - Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! (Elijah)	3:39
18. No. 15 - Cast thy burden upon the Lord (chorus)	2:22
19. No. 16 - O Thou, who makest Thine angels spirits (Elijah, chorus)	3:10
20. No. 17 - Is not his word like a fire? (Elijah)	2:04
21. No. 18 - Woe unto them who forsake Him! (alto)	3:12
22. No. 19 - O man of God, help thy people! (Obadiah, Elijah, chorus, Youth)	6:38
23. No. 20 - Thanks be to God! (chorus)	3:42

CD2
1. No. 21 - Hear ye, Israel; hear what the Lord speaketh (soprano)	6:03
2. No. 22 - Be not afraid, saith God the Lord (chorus)	4:12
3. No. 23 - The Lord hath exalted thee (Elijah, Queen, chorus)	4:03
4. No. 24 - Woe to him, he shall perish (chorus)	1:32
5. No. 25 - Man of God, now let my words be precious (Obadiah, Elijah)		2:38
6. No. 26 - It is enough; O Lord take my life (Elijah)	6:15
7. No. 27 - See, now he sleepeth (tenor)	0:40
8. No. 28 - Lift thine eyes to the mountains (chorus)	1:48
9. No. 29 - He, watching over Israel, slumbers not (chorus)	3:53
10. No. 30 - Arise, Elijah, for thou hast a long journey (Angel I, Elijah)	2:13
11. No. 31 - O rest in the Lord (Angel I)	3:37				play
12. No. 32 - He that shall endure to the end, shall be saved (chorus)	2:50
13. No. 33 - Night falleth round me, O Lord! (Elijah, Angel II)	1:48
14. No. 34 - Behold! God the Lord passed by! (chorus)	3:38
15. No. 35 - Above Him stood the Seraphim (alto, chorus)		3:51
16. No. 36 - Go, return upon thy way! (chorus, Elijah)	1:35
17. No. 37 - For the mountains shall depart (Elijah)		2:44
18. No. 38 - Then did Elijah the prophet break forth (chorus)	2:15
19. No. 39 - Then shall the righteous shine forth (chorus)	2:40
20. No. 40 - Behold, God hath sent Elijah (soprano)	1:18
21. No. 41 - But the Lord from the north hath raised one (chorus)	3:31
22. No. 41a - O come everyone that thirsteth (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)	3:21
23. No. 42 - And then shall your light break forth (chorus)		3:15

Gwyneth Jones - The Widow; An Angel
Janet Baker - The Angel; The Queen
Nicolai Gedda - Obadiah; Ahab
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - Elijah
Simon Woolf - The Youth

Wandsworth School Boy's Choir
New Philharmonia Chorus
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Rafael Frübeck de Burgos - conductor, 1968

This is an original sound recording made by EMI in 1968 and is still the standard by which one should enjoy Mendelssohn's Elijah. With Gwyneth Jones, Nicolai Gedda, Janet Baker and Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau what more could you ask for in a performance of one of the great masterpieces of music. The libretto, originally in German, was translated into English by William Bartholomew who Mendelssohm called a translator 'par excellence.' ---David A. Hill

Elijah, in German: Elias, is an oratorio written by Felix Mendelssohn in 1846 for the Birmingham Festival. It depicts various events in the life of the Biblical prophet Elijah, taken from the books 1 Kings and 2 Kings in the Old Testament.

This piece was composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he loved. In 1829, Mendelssohn had organized the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the composer's death, and was instrumental in bringing this and other of Bach's works to widespread popularity. In contrast, Handel's oratorios never went out of fashion (in England at any rate). Mendelssohn prepared a scholarly edition of some of Handel's oratorios for publication in London. Elijah is modeled on the oratorios of these two Baroque masters; however, the style clearly reflects, in its lyricism and use of orchestral and choral colour, Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer.

The work is scored for four vocal soloists (bass/baritone, tenor, alto, soprano), full symphony orchestra (including trombones, ophicleide, organ), and a large chorus singing usually in four, but occasionally eight or three (women only) parts. The part of Elijah is sung by the bass/baritone and is a major role.

Mendelssohn originally composed the work to a German text by his friend Karl Klingemann, who earlier had provided him with the libretto for his comic operetta Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde. Upon being commissioned by the Birmingham Festival to write an oratorio, however, Mendelssohn had the libretto translated into English, and the oratorio was premiered in the English version.

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CD1
01. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 1 in E (Andante con moto) "Sweet Remembrance"
02. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 2 in A minor (Andante espressivo)
03. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 3 in A (Molto allegro) "Hunting Song"
04. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 4 in A (Moderato)
05. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 5 in F sharp minor (Agitato) "Restlessness"
06. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19 - No. 6 in G minor (Andante sostenuto) "Venetian Gondola Song" 
07. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 1. Andante espressivo in E flat
08. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 2. Allegro di molto in B flat minor
09. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 3. Andante sostenuto in E "Consolation"
10. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 4. Agitato e con fuoco in B minor
11. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 5. Andante grazioso in D
12. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.30 - No. 6. Allegretto in F sharp minor "Venetian Gondola Song"
13. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 1. Con moto in E flat
14. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 2. Allegro non troppo in C minor "Lost Happiness" 
15. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 3. Presto in E "La harpe du poète"
16. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 4. Andante in A
17. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 5. Agitato in A minor "Appassionata"
18. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38 - No. 6. Andante con moto in A flat "Duetto"
19. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 1. Andante con moto in A flat
20. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 2. Allegro non troppo in E flat "The Fleecy Cloud"
21. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 3. Presto agitato in G minor
22. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 4. Adagio in F "Sadness of Soul"
23. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 5. Allegro in A minor "Folk-Song"
24. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.53 - No. 6. Molto allegro vivace in A "La fuite"

CD2
01. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 1 Andante espressivo in G
02. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 2 Allegro con fuoco in B flat
03. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 3 Andante maestoso in E minor "Funeral March" 
04. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 4 Allegro con anima in G "Morning Song"
05. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 5 Andante in A minor "Venetian Gondola Song"
06. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.62 - No. 6 Andante grazioso in A "Spring Song"
07. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 1. Andante in E flat4
08. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 2. Allegro leggiero in F sharp minor "Lost Illusions"
09. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 3. Andante tranquillo in B flat
10. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 4. Presto in C "Spinning Song"
11. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 5. Moderato in B minor "The Shepherd's complaint"
12. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 - No. 6. Allegro non troppo in E "Cradle Song"
13. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 1. Andante espressivo in F
14. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 2. Allegro agitato in A minor "Adieu"
15. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 3. Presto in E flat
16. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 4. Andante sostenuto in D "Elegy"
17. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 5. Allegretto in A
18. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.85 - No. 6. Allegretto con moto in B flat
19. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 1. Andante un poco agitato in E minor
20. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 2. Adagio in D
21. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 3. Presto in C "Tarantelle"
22. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 4. Un poco agitato in G minor "The Sighing Wind"
23. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 5. Allegro vivace in A "The Joyous Peasant"
24. Lieder ohne Worte, Op.102 - No. 6. Andante in C "Belief"
25. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 1. Allegro non troppo
26. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 2. Andante sostenuto
27. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 3. Allegretto
28. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 4. Andante con moto
29. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 5. Allegro assai
30. 6 Kinderstücke op.72 - 6. Vivace
31. Gondellied (Barcarolle) in A major (1837) - Allegretto non troppo
32. 2 Klavierstücke - 1. Andante cantabile
33. 2 Klavierstücke - 2. Presto agitato
34. Albumblatt (Lied ohne Worte) in E minor, Op.117 – Allegro

Daniel Barenboim - piano

This is an album that makes you love Mendelssohn even more. The interpretations are perfect - I get flashes of Mendelssohn when I hear Daniel Barenboim's playing. He certainly seems to do a lot of research into the composer before attempting a recording...he must have the original manuscripts and not those which demand excessive pedaling work (which was not the style of Felix Mendelssohn at all, well, as far as I know anyway).

In my experience some players get Mendelssohn all wrong. Though many of the Songs Without Words don't require virtuosity to play, they require something special to "sing". I've never heard any other pianist do this as well as Daniel Barenboim. ---"marcel195", amazon.com

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