Mendelssohn – Ein Sommernachtstraum (APE)

Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Size: 211 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Champs Elysees Orchestra
with Sandrine Piau, Delphine Collot
Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe

# The Hebrides, overture for orchestra in B minor (“Fingal’s Cave”), Op. 26 (4 versions)
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Champs Elysees Orchestra
Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe

01. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Ouvertüre: Allegro di molto
02. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Scherzo: Allegro vivace
03. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Elfenmarsch/Marche des Elfes: Allegro vivace
04. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Lied mit Chor, ‘Bunte Schlangen, zweigezüngt!’: Allegro ma non troppo
05. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Intermezzo: Allegro appassionato
06. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Notturno: Con moto tranquillo
07. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Hochzeitsmarch/Marche nuptiale: Allegro vivace
08. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Fanfare: Allegro comodo
09. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Marcia funebre: Andante comodo
10. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Ein Tanz von Rüppeln/Danse Bergamasque: Allegro di molto
11. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61: Finale, ‘Bei des Feuers mattem Flimmern’: Allegro di molto
12. The Hebrides, overture for orchestra in B minor (‘Fingal’s Cave’), Op. 26

A Sylvan Excursion into Time

Karajan once said that listening to a performance from long ago was akin to drinking a draught of time. And if the performance was magical enough, the years could be spanned – temporarily.

This performance was recorded in November 1964. Kubelik diplays the lightness of touch that is a pre-requisite in Mendelssohn. Magic is in abundance, be it the faery music of the Midsummer Night Dream Overture or the horn call of the nocturne. When the latter rings out, one sheds the detritus of the years to become younger than youth and more ancient than the old. Edith Mathis is always enchanting on the ear; here she is so young – and befittingly so. All in all, there is a woodlands feel to the performance rather than the concert hall: Dryades hover on the outskirts of the bonfire.

The two Weber overtures are kin. The performances warrant comparison with the Karajan renditions from 1973.

This recording desperately needs to be remastered – the bass was gutted when it appeared on the Galleria label in the late ’80s where it has languished ever since. The status quo may be permanent. Don’t hesitate.