Mendelssohn recording recommendations

[tal...@gmail.com]

Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).


Thanks.

[Gerard]

Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2019 07:43:19 UTC+2 schreef tal...@gmail.com:

> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.

Strongly recommended: the String Symphonies, played by the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, conducted by Lev Markiz, on 4 BIS cds.
These recordings also have been issued by Brilliant Classics in a box with the symphonies for orchestra (with Sawallisch IIRC).

[tomono...@hotmail.com]

I prefer :

Fey (symphonies)

Herace-Casado (symphonies and violin concertos)

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 7:43:19 PM UTC-10, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics5/italian.html

[Alex Brown]

On 2019-08-02 06:43, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.
>

Lots of good sets of the symphonies (e.g. Ashkenazy, Abbado) - but my
fave is Vienna PO/Dohnanyi, which comes with some great extras.
Available cheaply second hand!

Some other great Mendelssohn:

- Violin Concerto (pretty much bombproof - I like Heifetz, though be
aware any Heifetz/Toscanini will be unusually brisk)

- Songs without words (Barenboim. His best recording?)

- Piano Trio No 1 (avoid the recording with Heifetz)

- Octet for Strings (Either of the recordings made by the combined
forces of the Janáček and Smetana quartets)

- Midsummer Night's Dream music (I suppose London SO/Maag is the classic
choice)

--
- Alex Brown

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 8:50:31 PM UTC-10, Alex Brown wrote:
> On 2019-08-02 06:43, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
> >
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
>
> Lots of good sets of the symphonies (e.g. Ashkenazy, Abbado) - but my
> fave is Vienna PO/Dohnanyi, which comes with some great extras.
> Available cheaply second hand!
>
> Some other great Mendelssohn:
>
> - Violin Concerto (pretty much bombproof - I like Heifetz, though be
> aware any Heifetz/Toscanini will be unusually brisk)
>
> - Songs without words (Barenboim. His best recording?)
>
> - Piano Trio No 1 (avoid the recording with Heifetz)
>
> - Octet for Strings (Either of the recordings made by the combined
> forces of the Janáček and Smetana quartets)

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics4/octet.html

[operafan]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 2:50:31 AM UTC-4, Alex Brown wrote:

I like the 1940s recording of the first piano trio with Heifetz, Rubinstein, Piatigorsky a great deal. There is also a film of the three of them playing most of the piece in a simulated living room; it's on YouTube.

[JohnGavin]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 2:50:31 AM UTC-4, Alex Brown wrote:

I like the 1940s recording of the first piano trio with Heifetz, Rubinstein, Piatigorsky a great deal. There is also a film of the three of them playing most of the piece in a simulated living room; it's on YouTube.

————————————————————————-
I do too. Also the Trio #2 with Pennario.

[cooper...@gmail.com]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 9:01:31 AM UTC-4, operafan wrote:
> On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 2:50:31 AM UTC-4, Alex Brown wrote:
>
> I like the 1940s recording of the first piano trio with Heifetz, Rubinstein, Piatigorsky a great deal. There is also a film of the three of them playing most of the piece in a simulated living room; it's on YouTube.

Symphonies: I have no use for ##2 and 5. For #1, Louis Lane (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=9089 or used; good couplings, too, esp. Francescatti in the VC); for #3 obviously Maag/LSO; for #4, either the last Stokowski (on Cala) or Casals.

Violin Concerto: along with the zillions of obvious choices, an unusual one to try is Hope/Hengelbrock.

Octet: Again many fine choices; Music from Marlboro still holds my affection.

AC

[JohnGavin]

Octet: Again many fine choices; Music from Marlboro still holds my affection.

AC

Which reminds me that I also like Heifetz and Co. in the Octet. It’s a high tension virtuosic approach that some might disapprove of.

[cooper...@gmail.com]

Well, Heifetz et al. are fantastic on all of their recorded Mendelssohn as long as one enjoys their high-tension approach. Janacek/Smetana and Vienna Octet (e.g.) go the opposite way. For me the Music from Marlboro players split the difference nicely; so also the Lincoln Center CMS imo, as well as Tetzlaff, Weithaas, et al., which is fabulous and comes with a great coupling in the Enescu Octet (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=251040). So many more....

The original poster was mainly interested in orchestral music, which is not my forte and of relatively limited interest to me. Maybe op is open to exploring other genres as well :-)

AC

[JohnGavin]

Well, Heifetz et al. are fantastic on all of their recorded Mendelssohn as long as one enjoys their high-tension approach.

——————————

Mendelssohn works best for me when he isn’t overly romanticized, when there’s no fussing over phrasing. Brisk straightforward playing with a soaring line bring his music to life for me. Heifetz/Munch do this in the VC, and for the same reason Menuhin is unlistenable for me. I suppose it’s just a matter of personal preference.

[cooper...@gmail.com]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 2:01:24 PM UTC-4, JohnGavin wrote:
> Well, Heifetz et al. are fantastic on all of their recorded Mendelssohn as long as one enjoys their high-tension approach.
>
> ——————————
>
> Mendelssohn works best for me when he isn’t overly romanticized, when there’s no fussing over phrasing. Brisk straightforward playing with a soaring line bring his music to life for me. Heifetz/Munch do this in the VC, and for the same reason Menuhin is unlistenable for me. I suppose it’s just a matter of personal preference.

Basically I agree, although one person's "unfussy" may be another's "overdriven." What do you think of Gitlis/Swarowsky? (Menuhin's Mendelssohn is unlistenable for a whole bunch of reasons.) Have you heard Tetzlaff et al. in the Octet? Aside from being fantastically played, it also has the frisson of a live performance. Don't get me wrong: I'm a big Heifetz fan.

AC

[MELMOTH]

Le 02/08/2019 à 07:43, tal...@gmail.com a écrit :
> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.
>

Symphonies : Abbado...

https://www.amazon.com/Mendelssohn-5-Symphonies-7-Overtures/dp/B00005ONMP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mendelsssohn&qid=1564770083&s=music&sr=1-1-spell

Concertos piano : Serkin

https://www.amazon.com/Mendelssohn-Concertos-Concerto-Essential-Classics/dp/B00005YOY8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mendelssohn+serkin&qid=1564770260&s=music&sr=1-1

Concerto violin : Stern

https://www.amazon.com/Mendelssohn-Violin-Concerto-Minor-Tchaikovsky/dp/B0000025JL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1JSRRKSLD45M2&keywords=mendelssohn+violin+concerto&qid=1564770338&s=music&sprefix=mendelssohn+%2Cmusic-intl-ship%2C232&sr=1-1

String quartet

https://www.amazon.com/Mendelssohn-Streichquartette-Complete-String-Quartets/dp/B00000E33G/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1L4XP5XGK3RN8&keywords=mendelssohn+string+quartets&qid=1564770442&s=music&sprefix=mendelssohn+string%2Cmusic-intl-ship%2C225&sr=1-18

And :

https://www.amazon.fr/Discotheque-Ideale-Diapason-Chefs-Oeuvre/dp/B07J3BR85Q/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=mendelssohn&qid=1564770499&s=music&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.fr/Mendelssohn-Loeuvre-chorale-Felix-Bartholdy/dp/B007LS09BO/ref=sr_1_14?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=mendelssohn&qid=1564770499&s=music&sr=1-14

https://www.amazon.fr/Mendelssohn-Songe-dune-nuit-dété/dp/B00005UOYB/ref=sr_1_21?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=mendelssohn&qid=1564770590&s=music&sr=1-21

[Bob Harper]

On 8/1/19 11:50 PM, Alex Brown wrote:
> On 2019-08-02 06:43, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
>> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings
>> (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>>
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>
> Lots of good sets of the symphonies (e.g. Ashkenazy, Abbado) - but my
> fave is Vienna PO/Dohnanyi, which comes with some great extras.
> Available cheaply second hand!
>
> Some other great Mendelssohn:
>
> - Violin Concerto (pretty much bombproof - I like Heifetz, though be
> aware any Heifetz/Toscanini will be unusually brisk)
>
> - Songs without words (Barenboim. His best recording?)
>
> - Piano Trio No 1 (avoid the recording with Heifetz)
>
> - Octet for Strings (Either of the recordings made by the combined
> forces of the Janáček and Smetana quartets)

I prefer the Supraphon--a classic! The CD (Supraphon SU-3602-2 111) also
contains a wonderful recording of Trio 1 with Panenka, Suk, and Chuchro.

>
> - Midsummer Night's Dream music (I suppose London SO/Maag is the classic
> choice)

Indeed it is. As is his recording of the Scottish Symphony.

Bob Harper

[JohnGavin]

Have you heard Tetzlaff et al. in the Octet? Aside from being fantastically played, it also has the frisson of a live performance. Don't get me wrong: I'm a big Heifetz fan.

AC

I didn’t mean to imply in any way that Heifetz and Co. were by any means the only great Mendelssohn interpreters. I’m sure your recommendations are very fine and will check them out.

For piano music Perahia’s selections of Songs Without Words are superb - and there’s a great Variations Serieuses on Decca by Alicia De Larrocha.

[richard...@gmail.com]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 1:43:19 AM UTC-4, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.

Symphonies 3,4 and MSND music: Maag on Decca (originally) and ARTS. These are lively and well-sprung performances.
Mendelssohn benefits from a divided violin orchestral arrangement. Klemperer (EMI) brings this and a good transparent sound in his stereo recordings. They are worth hearing, if not first choice.
I don't care for the Hymn of Praise, and not a great deal for the 5th, so no recommendations.
The Octet is very well served by Heifetz et al, and in a different style by the Vienna Octet, and the Melos Ensemble.
The piano concertos need to be heard by Serkin, Ormandy, and the Philadelphia Orchestra on CBS. These recordings ere in a class of their own. If you don't like them then try any number of others.
Songs without Words are very well worth hearing. Barenboim (DG) is a good version. In old sound Gieseking (EMI) does a good selection, as do many others.
The Violin concerto is done in very different styles by Kyung-Wha Chung, Menuhin/Furtwangler (which should be heard), Heifetz/Munch (stereo version, preferably in SACD so that the balance between violin and orchestra can be managed), , and David Oistrakh. However, a wonderful version in good sound exists from Nathan Milstein, on DG.

[tal...@gmail.com]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 11:13:19 AM UTC+5:30, tal...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello, I'm looking for suggestions for the best Mendelssohn recordings (especially symphonies and violin concertos).
>
>
> Thanks.

Wow. Thank you all so much for the responses. Looks like I have a lot to plough through. I'll start with Heifetz.

I'm open to exploring his other compositions too - but I have just started listening to (and playing a bit of) Mendelssohn, and since the violin is an instrument I am learning - I was focusing on his violin concertos.

[smo...@hotmail.com]

For a solo piano disc try Chamayou.

Soeren

[cooper...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 2:04:13 PM UTC-4, smo...@hotmail.com wrote:
> For a solo piano disc try Chamayou.
>
> Soeren

I agree; an excellent selection beautifully played. Several posters have mentioned Serkin's recording of the piano concerti. I like it too, but I think that the music also brings out the best in Perahia. One of his finest efforts, imo, and Marriner/ASMF are in top form.

AC