Mendelssohn: The 5 Symphonies NDR Radiophilharmonie & Andrew Manze

• Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847): Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11, MWV N 13:
• 1 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11, MWV N 13: I. Allegro di molto 10:11
• 2 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11, MWV N 13: II. Andante 06:09
• 3 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11, MWV N 13: III. Menuetto. Allegro molto 07:24
• 4 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11, MWV N 13: IV. Allegro con fuoco - Più stretto 08:18
• Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang":
• 5 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": Ia. Sinfonia. Maestoso con moto 11:34
• 6 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": Ib. Sinfonia. Allegretto un poco agitato 05:56
• 7 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": Ic. Sinfonia. Adagio religioso 07:19
• 8 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": IIa. Alles was Odem hat lobe den Herrn 04:31
• 9 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": IIb. Lobe den Herrn meine Seele 01:55
• 10 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": III. Recitative. Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid durch den Herrn 02:59
• 11 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": IV. Choral. Sagt es, die ihr erlöst seid 01:49
• 12 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": V. Ich harrete des Herrn 04:57
• 13 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": VI. Strick des Todes hatten uns umfangen 04:02
• 14 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": VII. Die Nacht ist vergangen 04:13
• 15 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": VIII. Choral. Nun danket alle Gott 04:29
• 16 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": IX. Drum sing' ich mit meinem Liede 04:19
• 17 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 52, MWV A 18 "Lobgesang": X. Schlusschor. Ihr Völker! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht 05:32
• Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 "Scottish":
• 18 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 "Scottish": I. Introduction. Andante con moto 15:43
• 19 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 "Scottish": II. Scherzo. Vivace non troppo 04:21
• 20 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 "Scottish": III. Adagio cantabile 09:12
• 21 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 "Scottish": IV. Finale guerriero. Allegro vivacissimo 09:24
• Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, MWV N 16 "Italian":
• 22 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, MWV N 16 "Italian": I. Allegro vivace 11:01
• 23 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, MWV N 16 "Italian": II. Andante con moto 07:18
• 24 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, MWV N 16 "Italian": III. Con moto moderato 06:29
• 25 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, MWV N 16 "Italian": IV. Saltarello. Presto 06:01
• Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation":
• 26 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation": I. Andante - Allegro con fuoco 11:21
• 27 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation": II. Allegro vivace 06:07
• 28 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation": IIIa. Andante 04:19
• 29 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation": IIIb. Recitativo 02:29
• 30 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 107, MWV N 15 "Reformation": IV. Andante con moto 08:28
• Total Runtime 03:17:50

Info for Mendelssohn: The 5 Symphonies

Felix Mendelssohn’s 5 symphonies demonstrate the composer’s extraordinary melodic gift, but also his adventurous spirit. While the First symphony – composed when he was only 15 years old – still reveals the influences of Viennese Classicism, he realized the sound of national landscapes with ground-breaking orchestral effects and harmonies in his Third (Scottish) and Fourth (Italian). The Second (Lobgesang) and Fifth, on the contrary, were inspired by Mendelssohn’s Christian faith, and the former uses choral forces and vocal soloists, stretching the boundaries of symphonic form even further than Beethoven had dared in his “Choral” Ninth. The 5 symphonies are presented chronologically, performed by the NDR Radiophilharmonie and conductor Andrew Manze, who won a Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2017 for their recording of the First and Third symphony.

NDR Radiophilharmonie
Andrew Manze, conductor

Sensuously Mediterranean sounds and Northern solemnity shake hands on this recording of Mendelssohn’s Italian and Reformation symphonies (Nos. 4 and 5). This is the second release in a series of recordings in multi-channel surround sound for PENTATONE by the conductor Andrew Manze and the NDR Radiophilharmonie. Expectations are high after the first album of this series, a recording of Mendelssohn’s first and third symphonies, was crowned with a 2017 Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik.

It’s no wonder that Robert Schumann dubbed Mendelssohn the “Mozart of the nineteenth century”; with his felicitous gift for melody and meticulous craftsmanship, his music positively brims with youthful spontaneity and exuberance, blending dreamy poetic flights with moments of affecting tenderness and serenity. All this comes together in his Italian symphony, that is so full of joie de vivre, so sparkling with energy and esprit, so full of Mediterranean gaiety. Far beyond the picturesque, the piece offers Mendelssohn’s profoundly personal reflection, transformed into music, on the impressions made on his senses by the landscape, architecture, lifestyle, and people of Italy.

Equally personal is Mendelssohn’s Reformation symphony, in which the devoutly Christian composer aimed to combine elements and traditions of sacred instrumental music with those of an autonomous symphony. The result is highly original: a so-called finale symphony, in which the programmatic destination of the entire work is oriented towards the finale, based on the Lutheran chorale “A mighty fortress is our God”.

Renowned for his boundless energy and scholarly knowledge and with many critically acclaimed recordings in a broad repertoire, Manze is celebrated as one of the most stimulating and inspirational conductors of his generation.

“Manze's take is wholly individual,” wrote the Guardian. “[Brahms’ symphonies] burst with life, by turns wistful, yearning, sharp-edged and blisteringly incisive … this is the composer reinvented for the 21st century.”

In September 2014 Andrew Manze became the Principal Conductor of the NDR Radiophilharmonie in Hannover and immediately made headlines.

NDR Radiophilharmonie
Andrew Manze, conductor

This album contains no booklet.