Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3; Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4

Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), Robert Schumann (Composer), Franz Welser-Möst (Conductor), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst
• Composer: Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann
• Audio CD (June 10, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0013LGF0Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #587,043 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much-abused recordings from the young Welser-Most that deserve a hearing, November 5, 2008

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3; Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (Audio CD)

I have read so many pans of Welser-Most that I wanted to put in good words for this bargain two-fer of his Schumann and Mendelssohn. Here's a capsule summary of my original reviews of the forgotten EMI originals:

Schumann -- Eschewing propulsion, Welser-Most feels another side of romanticism, more songful, dreamy, and gentle. Schumann's view of himself comprised both aspects, so it's lovely to hear the Second and Third Sym. approached more in the style of Schubert than Beethoven.

Critics in the U.K. didn't agree when this CD was released in 1992 during W-M's troubled tenure with the London Phil. But if you have room in your soul for Eusebius and Florestan, these performances may catch your imaginaiton as they did mine.

Mendelssohn - Also released in 1992, this pairing of the Scottish and Italian Sym. is refined and restrained. Usually I don't favor conductors who stay on the tame side of Mendelssohn's bipolar clasical-romantic personality, but Welser-Most has an authentic Austrian touch with this music, and his elegance is very atractive. Both symphonies sound like first cousins to the music from A Midsummer Night's Dream, no bad thing.

I wouldn't make any of these recordings a first choice, but at this super-brgain price, they are miles ahead of anything on Naxos and other budget rivals. Scorn is certainly not deserved.