Composer: Felix Mendelssohn
Performer: Michael Spyres, Jurgita Adamonyte, Lucy Crowe, Monteverdi Choir
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: LSO
Release: 2017
Size: 1.24 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52 ‘Lobgesang’
01. I. Sinfonia. Maestoso con moto
02. I. Sinfonia. Allegretto un poco agitato
03. I. Sinfonia. Adagio religioso
04. II. Allegro moderato maestoso “Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn”
05. II. Molto più moderato ma con fuoco “Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele”
06. III. Recitativo “Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid durch den Herrn”
07. III. Allegro moderato “Er zählet unsre Tränen”
08. IV. Chor. A tempo moderato “Sagt es, die ihr erlöst seid”
09. V. Andante “Ich harrete des Herrn”
10. VI. Allegro un poco agitato “Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen”
11. VII. Allegro maestoso e molto vivace “Die Nacht ist vergangen”
12. VIII. Choral. Andante con moto “Nun danket alle Gott”
13. VIII. Un poco più animato “Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott”
14. IX. Andante sostenuto assai “Drum sing’ ich mit meinem Liede ewig dein Lob”
15. X. Schlusschor. Allegro non troppo “Ihr Völker! bringet her dem Herrn”
Bringing his acclaimed Mendelssohn cycle to a rousing conclusion, Sir John Eliot Gardiner presents the composer’s symphony-cantata, ‘Lobgesang’, in his first ever performance of the work. Three world-class soloists join the LSO and his own Monteverdi Choir for this recording for LSO Live. Mendelssohn wrote that the piece “lies very near my heart”, and with its stately grandeur and religiosity, plus its sheer magnitude, twice the length of any of his other symphonies, it stands amongst his most impressive works. Posthumously categorised by editors as his second symphony, it is also known as ‘Hymn of Praise’.
In an interview for The Arts Desk, John Eliot said: “It’s a piece I’ve been looking at for years, and I’ve never conducted it. I was a bit sceptical at first, thinking that it was the torso of a symphony with a cantata bolted on. But it isn’t. It’s a delight. It has a lot of the inventiveness and sheer melodic flow of the young Mendelssohn and it’s perfectly calibrated and constructed.”
Presented as a Pure Audio Blu-ray and SACD Hybrid package – which includes master quality audio and downloadable content – this is the perfect end to Gardiner’s exploration of Mendelssohn. Summing up his feelings at the end of the project, he said: “My admiration for Mendelssohn has gone up enormously, as a result of really digging deep into these symphonies…it’s so rewarding with this group of players, they’re willing to go to the nth degree, in terms of detail of phrasing and articulation, and that’s a joy.”