Mendelssohn's symphonies

[karlhenning]

I do like Abbado in all five.  I don't think that even a touch of The Sainted von Karajan could make the 'Reformation' sound better to me  0:)

[Que]

I'm curious if anyone preferring Abbado has heard Masur?

Q

[karlhenning]

I have not; but would not mind hearing Masur.

[SonicMan46]

I have not; but would not mind hearing Masur.

Q - same as Karl, i.e. have not heard the Masur recordings, but probably would more likely like to hear another approach, as you suggested earlier!    Dave

[hautbois]

A bit more than USD$40 at my local store. Should i...

Howard

[Mark]

A bit more than USD$40 at my local store. Should i...

Howard

Masur's uneven Beethoven symphonies cycle has put me off considering his Mendelssohn.

[hautbois]

Masur's uneven Beethoven symphonies cycle has put me off considering his Mendelssohn.

To comfort myself Mendelssohn wrote only 5.  (I am absolutely aware of the presence of the String symphonies.)

Howard

[Harry]

I actually think Karajan's DG Mendelssohn cycle is one of the best things he ever recorded. I vastly prefer it over the Abbado. Particularly Nos. 3 & 4 are amazing.

Agreed.....

[Harry]

For me the set with the Clevelanders under Dohnanyi is also a set to be treasured.

[George]

Thanks, Dave. I have the complete String Symphonies on Naxos, with which I'm delighted. Like them better than the Symphonies, actually.

Me too, I love those string symphonies. I only have one CD of the Naxos, though I need to remedy that.

[FideLeo]

Like Bruggen, Charles Munch only recorded 3-5 but they are excellent among non-HIP performances.
String symphonies were recorded on period instruments by both Hanover Band (Roy Goodman) and
Concerto Koeln (no conductor/leader). 

[SonicMan46]

TTT -     A thread that started & ended in 2007!  I currently have 3 sets of these works, all w/ well known conductors & modern bands - earliest (Karajan, 1970-71) and latest recording dates (Abbado, 1980-84).

SO, anything 'new' in the last half dozen years, AND any Period Instrument/Practices recordings available at the present? 

   

[hafod]

I actually think Karajan's DG Mendelssohn cycle is one of the best things he ever recorded. I vastly prefer it over the Abbado. Particularly Nos. 3 & 4 are amazing.

I agree that von K's Mendelssohn cycle is among his best recordings but I do not vastly prefer it to Abbado - both have their considerable merits and I would be hard pushed to say which I prefer. I have taken the easy way and have both.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-5-Symphonies-Edith-Mathis/dp/B001DCQI9G?SubscriptionId=AKIAIVGTH525N57WM2NQ&tag=galenicom-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001DCQI9G

[Sergeant Rock]

SO, anything 'new' in the last half dozen years, AND any Period Instrument/Practices recordings available at the present? 

Most of the noise about Thomas Fey concerns his ongoing Haydn cycle - but he has also recorded the Mendelssohn symphonies.

[asin]B000KCHZ3S[/asin]

That's Vol. 1 - there's at least six others.

I just purchased Fey's 1, 3, and 5 (each symphony coupled with String Symphonies). I'll let you know, Dave, what I think.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Maybe that's a Reformation I should check out, gents.

[SonicMan46]

I just purchased Fey's 1, 3, and 5 (each symphony coupled with String Symphonies). I'll let you know, Dave, what I think.

Thanks Sarge & Sanantonio for the Fey recommendation, and looking forward to your comments - however, I wish that his recordings could be 'split & repackaged' separating the regular Symphonies from the String ones - for those interested in the String Symphonies, Fey's offerings appears to be an excellent choice to acquire both; but, if one is looking for the latter alone, then the 2 sets that are in my collection can be suggested; the box w/ Concerto Koln has a 4th dsic of a piano & the violin concertos (w/ Staier on the fortepiano).  Dave

 

[flyingdutchman]

Still no set of Mendelssohn that rises about the competition.  Stick with individual performances.

[bigshot]

I have nearly all the Mendelssohn symphony sets mentioned here, and I don't have any single favorite. I think Mendelssohn symphonies are hard to get wrong. They're all good.

[Daverz]

Most of the noise about Thomas Fey concerns his ongoing Haydn cycle - but he has also recorded the Mendelssohn symphonies.

[asin]B000KCHZ3S[/asin]

That's Vol. 1 - there's at least six others.

Mendelssohn for Masochists.