Customer Reviews

Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures

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Deutsche Grammophon has united all of Abbado's Mendelssohn recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra in this inexpensive 4 CD set. Without question, Abbado's Mendelsson symphony cycle, recorded in the mid 1980's, remains among the best. The highlights include splendid performances of the 2nd, 4th and 5th symphonies, with the others almost as fine, with Abbado opting for brisk tempi and emphasizing the scores' broad orchestral textures. A splendid surprise is the inclusion of the orchestrated version of Scherzo in G minor for the Octet (Opus 20), which Mendelssohn regarded as an alternative 3rd movement for his first full-fledged symphony (Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Opus 11.). Other works included in this compilation include all of Mendelssohn's overtures, most notably "The Hebrides" (Opus 26), and the overture to Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Opus 21). The sound quality is quite superb, though may be a bit dry in comparison to recordings made at the Vienna Philharmonic's concert hall. Avid fans of Abbado and Mendelssohn's music will surely want to acquire this collection.

At this price, this box-set (4 CD) is a must have for admirers of Mendelssohn and any collectors.
The performances of all works are very good (Especially, Symphony No. 3 and 4).

And there are seven overtures including, not too known "Trumpet-Overture", "Fair Melusina" and beatiful "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage".

And there is the best recording of his gorgeous "Symphony No. 2" ("Lobgesang"). Actually, this work be constitued in a cantata or an oratorio form and scored for two soloists, chorus, organ and orchestra.

I think, the best recordings in all CDs' are Symphony No. 3 "Scottish" (dedicated to Quenn Victoria) and No. 4 "Italian". As you know, both of these works tells about impression of his voyages and also, he written famous "The Hebrides" in addition with his "Scottish" Symphony. I like especially 2nd (slow) movement of No. 3 and there is a very good example of counterpoint. And also, from No. 4 (Italian), I like 3rd movement. This is a very elegant minuetto and there is a soli for horns in Trio. And especially this movement tells very good that the landscapes of Italy (ex. woodland scenes narrates by horns in this movement). Still, I admire that, Mendelssohn is a master in to explain the lanscapes on music.

Highly recommended.

Set captures one of the premier recordings of Mendelssohn's symphonies and overtures, done by London Symphony Orchestra led by Claudio Abbado.

Included is a well interpreted version of the infamous "A Midsummer Night's Dream" which initially catapulted Mendelssohn to fame and continued to be a favorite, with its spellbinding imagery and mood.

Especially delightful in this set is the finale to the Scottish Symphony, with its delightful coda. The Reformation Symphony is well interpreted here also with its vocal fugue type ending.

The Overtures provided are magnificent as well, highlighted by the excellent Overture for Wind Instruments and the infamous "Calm Sea, Prosperous Voyage" which became signatuatory for this composer around literary themes.

Excellent enjoyment of the breadth and depth of this prolific and versatile composer, from sacred to choral to operatic to the symphonic.

By my calculations, this is the single best set of Mendelssohn symphonies out there today. Though better versions of the "Reformation," "Scottish," and "Italian" Symphonies exist in other disks, I still like the interpretations offered by Abbado and the LSO.

For the "Reformation", and "Italian" Symphonies, I'd recommend John Eliot Gardiner and the Vienna Philharmonic's DG set.

For the Scottish Symphony I'd go with Karajan's recording with the BPO (that CD also comes with the best "Hebrides Overture" recording available, and a pretty good "Italian Symphony" interpretation, too).

All of the overtures in this set are performed very well, both in technical execution and musical interpretation. The Hebrides (a work far ahead of its time), in particular, is a fine recording. So is "Overture 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'." I really have grown fond of the "Ruy Blas" overture as well.

Another reviewer complained that the interpretations in this set are "too Classical." I think they are correct in saying the set is Classically performed, but I think that works with Mendelssohn, as he was "the Romantic Mozart."



Overall this is a great set, and a good way to become familiar with the music of Felix Mendelssohn, or build your Mendelssohn library.

Abbado offers some lushly textured Mendelssohn recording here. He is beautifully and ably supported by the sterling playing of the London Symphony Orchestra. Dating from the mid `80s, the recorded sound is also good despite its early digital vintage. Abbado takes a very classical view of Mendelssohn, however. He generally eschews any romanticism and perhaps that is where he falls down.

Performance: 4/5
For the most part these performances are incisive and the playing of the LSO is first rate. The overtures are generally invigorated with plush textures shining out quite consistently. It's a credit to Abbado that he has always produced golden throated playing from all the orchestras he has worked with. In that sense, who can doubt his natural talent for leading an orchestra? In the Symphonies, however, it feels like concentration and commitment does have the tendency to sag on occasion. This seems particularly true in the inner movements of the First Symphony (though the alternative scherzo is very pleasant) and the outer movements of the `Reformation' Symphony. Otherwise everything is quite excellent on this front. A small caveat would be that the palette of colour and timbre is rather restricted. Here, Previn got more out of this orchestra.

The `Lobgesang' may be the best part of this set, along with the overtures. It is realised beautifully, affectionately and musically. The singing of London Symphony Chorus is very good. It is very powerful at times. Elizabeth Connell (Soprano), Karita Mattila (Soprano) and Hans Peter Blochwitz (Tenor) do good justice to the work as solo voices, though superior singing in this work has been recorded before and since.

Sound: 5/5
There is very little indeed to complain about regarding the sound for this set. It is full blooded, warm and weighty with good detail as well. Perhaps it lacks a little sparkle but this is a very minor issue indeed and not too detrimental a caveat. Throw in a wide soundstage and it is some of the best sound the DG engineers were producing at the time. The main weakness in the sound is to be found in the Lobgesang where some may feel it to be a little fogged, muddy and overly reverberant.

Interpretation: 2/5
This is where the most telling problems arise. I must state now that I see Mendelssohn, along with Schumann, Bruch and Brahms, as a more romantic composer than Abbado apparently does. I suppose taste dictates much here. If you see Mendelssohn as closer in idiom to Haydn, Mozart and Schubert than he is to Schumann, Beethoven or Bruch then Abbado's set is almost certainly the set for you. Unfortunately, I don't see Mendelssohn like that.

True, there is no getting away from the fact that the First Symphony is classical in idiom. That is easy to accept and, as such, Abbado has followed Flor, Ashkenazy and Karajan (among others) in interpreting it classically. The Second Symphony is where Abbado diverges from the Classical path. This is a broad, magnificent view of the work. Indeed, it has something valedictory in the way he conceives it. Having said that, it has been equally well interpreted by the likes of Litton, Karajan and Dohnanyi. They each have a valedictory about them.

The `Scottish' Symphony marks a return to the classical idiom. Others have got more darkness and tragedy from this score. See, for example, Karajan and Bernstein. Indeed, these two took an almost impressionistic account of the first movement. Abbado continues his genial approach which is rather superficial and uninspiring in this work. The coda of the third is taken with almost vulgar amounts of rhetoric. This is not in keeping at all with what preceded these closing passages.

The Fourth can be interpreted classically or romantically and here Abbado has much more success. This Symphony comes off much better in this set than the Third does. Abbado's Fifth wobbles between classicism and romanticism without firm decision either way. Much of the expression in the outer movements suggests a romantic conception but the inner movements seem to be decidedly classical while the final coda doesn't come off with the incisiveness and finality that Munch, Bernstein and Karajan brought.

Overall, this is a mixed set musically. There is some uncertainty as to how Abbado sees Mendelssohn but generally he opts for a classical approach, in line with Mozart or Haydn. There is validity in that as Mendelssohn drew greatly from both composers. Orchestras such as those of Bamberg, Vienna and Berlin seem more in touch with Mendelssohn's Germanic roots as well. This is a solid set, the stand outs being the Second Symphony, the Fourth and the eight shorter pieces. Indeed, the Hebrides receives a very strong performance. If Abbado's way appeals, you will enjoy this set more than I did.

I have owned the original double jewel case in a slipbox version of these recordings from the time of their release, and the original rave review from The Gramophone. They were not an inexpensive purchase for me in my younger years - the original cost of the set was $60 (!). Listening through the set at that time, I had no regrets about my purchase. I am pleased to say that these discs continue to get pulled from my library shelves and listened to with some regularity.

I have always found Abbado's approach lithe and refreshing. The Lobgesang, Symphony 2, remains a powerful, thrilling and, yes, Romantic (note the capitol "R") performance. The remaining symphonies are played with robustness, and verve. I really do not understand the Classical:Romantic divide opined in other reviews. Mendelssohn is right on the line. The important thing is that Abbado brings a real lyrical and rhythmic sweep to these performances that makes them both timeless and profound.

This set seems to be selling for under $20 on amazon now. The sound remains full, and the contents have been augmented by some of Abbado's other Mendelssohn recordings (the Octet for example. At this price its a MUST HAVE addition to your classical music library.

This is a set that will provide a lifetime of enjoyment.

Unlike many all-digital compilations offered by one orchestra and conductor, this collection of Mendelssohn favorites is outstanding in performance and interpretation throughout. Maestro Abbado shows a genuine affection for the composer and his genius by the sequence of selections on each disc, and I find no weak performances anywhere in this remarkable recording.

Charlie Hastings
Falls Church, VA

This is probably the last set of complete Mendelssohn Symphonies I'll buy. Why, you ask? Simply because this set is so good that I don't see the need to get another. Abbado has a great sense of Mendelssohn's "sound", his tempos (actually "tempi" for real Italian speakers) are spot on, and the LSO responds to him perfectly. Combine that with the fact that England was as good as Mendelssohn's second home during his lifetime, giving British orchestras a position of authenticity for Mendelssohn's music similar to the Wiener Philharmoniker's regarding Beethoven or Mozart, and I just don't see any need for me to spend money on another set that, after this one, would be surperfluous.

I had heard all the music on here before interpreted by other conductors and other symphonies but Claudio Abbado proved to be the most efficient for me. Thanks to the world's leading classical music label- Deutsche Grammophone -we are able to hear a complete set of Mendelssohn's symphonies and overtures with the acclaimed London Symphony in a beautiful and surprisingly afforadable album. For music that is this good, I was surprised that it wasn't a little more expensive. But good, right ? Just more of Mendelssohn to love. On this album: his symphonies 1-5, Scherzo in G Minor from the Octet for Strings, the Overture to A Midsumer Night's Dream incidental music and Hebrides Overture. These are the most famous Mendelssohn creations. His Fourth Symphony is the "Italian" symphony, with lyrical, bouncy rhythms and classical harmony. The Midsummer Night's Dream overture encompasses romanticism at its peak, with sprightly strings representing the mischievous fairies that figure prominently in the Shakespeare comedy. The Hebrides Overture is evocative of wintery landscapes and sea breezes, a fine example of a tone poem and musical painting at its best. Its haunting melody is instantly recongizable. Abbado is clearly suited for this kind of music and it's refreshing to see him stray from the usual Italian repertoire he is most famous for. Still, inescapably, his Italian soul stands out but this gives this music more color, more volume and lyricism than what can often succumb to stale, cold English interpretations like Andre Previn's conducting. No offense to Mr. Previn, who has produced some brilliant music.

I've been a fan of Mendelssohn's music most of my life; this set includes many selections that have had honored places in my collection and some that were entirely new to me. I have to admit that the first and second symphonies were the big draw when I saw this set on Amazon.

I had never heard either of those symphonies before so I listened to them first and was very pleased with both of them. Symphony no. 1 in C minor was composed when Mendelssohn was only 15 years old, and although this was his first symphony for full orchestra it actually followed 12 symphonies for string orchestra which he had composed between the ages of 12 and 14. I never cease to be amazed it his remarkable talent.

Also included is the orchestrated version of the Scherzo in G minor from the Octet which Mendelssohn inserted as a replacement for the third movement, Minuet and Trio, at a concert in 1829.

Symphony no. 2 in B flat major was also completely new to me; it is a rather lengthy work, 74+ minutes, intended to be performed without interruption. This work is more complicated and deserves repeated hearings before evaluation. My initial impression was interest and a desire to give it another hearing very soon.

Symphonies 3, 4, and 5 are well performed and bring interesting insights into these very familiar works. It is always interesting how different conductors can bring out new ideas from familiar compositions. Generally Abbado keeps things moving at a brisk clip which gives the music a sparkle.

The overture were a mixture of new and familiar which was another reason I wanted this set; some of them I had never heard before.

From an audio perspective the recordings are all completely satisfactory, the dynamics and the soundstage are both well done and enjoyable. I recommend this set especially in light of the very low price for so much music.