Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box set]

Wolfgang Schone (Performer), Raimonds Spogis (Performer), Andreas Schmidt (Performer), Manfred Bittner (Performer), Christof Fischesser (Performer), Philip Niederberger (Performer), Wilhelm Schwinghammer (Performer), Claude Starck (Performer), Alexander Hülshoff (Performer), Rainer Schumacher (Performer), Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), Arnold Mendelssohn (Composer), Frans Brüggen (Conductor), Edo de Waart (Conductor), Arnold Ostman (Conductor), Jos van Immerseel (Conductor), Kurt Masur (Conductor), Stephen Gunzenhauser (Conductor), Gil Sharon (Conductor), Uros Lajovic (Conductor)

Product Details

• Performer: Wolfgang Schone, Raimonds Spogis, Andreas Schmidt, Manfred Bittner, Christof Fischesser, et al.
• Conductor: Frans Brüggen, Edo de Waart, Arnold Ostman, Jos van Immerseel, Kurt Masur, et al.
• Composer: Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Arnold Mendelssohn
• Audio CD (November 30, 2004)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 40
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Brilliant Classics
• ASIN: B00062FLJ2
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #242,569 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #7 in	Music > Classical > Chamber Music > Octets
  #41 in	Music > Classical > Sacred & Religious > Psalms
  #47 in	Music > Classical > Sacred & Religious > Te Deum

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb collection of Mendelssohn, March 23, 2007

By	Andrew Buckner (Evergreen, CO) - See all my reviews

Let me preface this by saying that most of these works were not new to me - I own many other Mendelssohn CDs and have enjoyed his compositions for some time now. Also, this set is available much cheaper elsewhere, particularly from European retailers.
The symphonies are well-performed. 'Reformation' is an inspired live recording. The 12 string symphonies, written in Mendelssohn's youth, are also included. The concertos are exceptional - the violin concerto is as good as you'll find anywhere. The oratorios Elijah and Paulus are included, as well as the complete chamber works and a diverse assortment of choral works. The last few discs include the Lied ohne worte, the epic organ sonatas, and excellent renditions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Fingal's Cave. While there are a few sketchy performances in the choral and chamber works, the performances and recordings are generally very solid, and the body of work couldn't be better.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Uneven quality but great value, April 29, 2007

By	Michael Schell (www.schellsburg.com) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Brilliant Classics has found a niche with their extremely low-price multi-disc collections of the work of a single composer or performer. The Bach, Mozart and Chopin Complete Editions are legitimately considered to be artistic and economical triumphs. But the Masterworks series are more uneven. Currently available from Amazon France at about a buck per CD, they're still a bargain for those interested in quickly building a music library. But it's worth keeping a few things in mind. Unlike the Bach and Mozart Editions, these are not always historically informed performances. In this Mendelssohn set, the Hanover Band puts in a cameo (in Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), but most of the ensembles use modern instruments, techniques and proportions. This doesn't always work out, as in the case of the ponderously heavy recordings of the String Symphonies by an apparently full complement of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig strings (Mendelssohn likely wrote these early works for a much smaller group). The caliber of the performances varies too, ranging from good to poor, and from marquis musicians such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a few Dutch who-dats. The chamber musicians generally acquit themselves well (though the Octet recording is marred by an engineering flaw in the last movement, distortion, at least on my copy). But the symphonies suffer from some substandard performances, such as the Italian Symphony's live recording with not only audience noise but also ensemble flaws such as a distracting clarinet squeak in the first movement's recapitulation. Another strike is the lack of program notes. Brilliant's Complete Editions provide a booklet or CD-ROM with program notes, but here you'll need to do your own research.

Despite these shortcomings, this set is still good value (at least at Amazon France's current price of 31 Euros). And it's a fine way to become acquainted with Mendelssohn's music.