Mendelssohn: Ein Sommernachtstraum (A Midsummer Night's Dream - Complete Melodrama) Max Urlacher, RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburger Barockorchester & Pablo Heras-Casado

• Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847): Overture "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in E Major, Op. 21:
• 1 Mendelssohn: Overture "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in E Major, Op. 21 11:56
• A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61:
• 2 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: I. Scherzo. Allegro vivace 04:39
• 3 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: II. Melodrama "Über Täler und Höh'n". L'istesso tempo 01:23
• 4 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: III. March of the Elves. Allegro vivace 02:11
• 5 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: IV. Song with Choir. Allegro ma non troppo 04:59
• 6 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: V. Melodrama "Was du wirst erwachend sehn". Andante - Allegro molto 02:38
• 7 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: VI. Intermezzo. Allegro appassionato - Allegro molto comodo 03:56
• 8 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: VII. Melodrama "Welch hausback'nes Volk macht sich hier breit". Allegro - Allegro molto 05:28
• 9 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: VIII. Notturno. Andante con moto tranquillo 05:59
• 10 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: IX. "Jetzt fängt mich doch Titanias Wahnsinn an zu dauern" - Melodrama "Sei, als wäre nichts gescheh'n!". Andante 01:59
• 11 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: X. Wedding March. Allegro vivace 04:25
• 12 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: XI. "Der Prolog ist fertig". Allegro comodo - Funeral March. Andante comodo 04:17
• 13 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: XII. Dance of the Clowns. Allegro di molto 01:40
• 14 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: XIII. Allegro vivace 01:11
• 15 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: XIV. Finale. Allegro di molto 05:36
• Total Runtime 01:02:17

Info for Mendelssohn: Ein Sommernachtstraum (A Midsummer Night's Dream - Complete Melodrama)

Fairies, elves, heroes, queens – this is the stuff fairy tales are made of, and to which William Shakespeare devotes himself in his A Midsummer Night's Dream. Since its premiere (before 1600), the comedy has been one of the English playwright's most popular works and has served as the basis for numerous compositions. The best-known musical setting of the material is undoubtedly Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's A Midsummer Night's Dream . In 1826, Mendelssohn read the German translation and immediately began composing the overture, which was premiered that same year. It was not until 1843 that Mendelssohn wrote the incidental music, at the suggestion of the music director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. In doing so, he drew on the already existing overture, whose youthful freshness still enchants audiences today. He remained true to the "enchanting" style of this introduction throughout the rest of the piece, creating inspiring music that continues to captivate audiences with its lightness to this day—not least because of the famous "Wedding March." The popularity of this march often pushes the remaining movements into the background, especially the quiet, elegiac sections like the "Notturno" or the "Marcia funebre." Yet it is precisely this interplay of musical nuances between light and dark, between slow and fast, between wit and elegy, that makes Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream an entertaining, original, and intoxicating musical experience.

Max Urlacher, narrator
RIAS Kammerchor
Freiburger Barockorchester
Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor

Pablo Heras-Casado
enjoys an unusually varied conducting career, encompassing the great symphonic and operatic repertoire, historically-informed performance and cutting-edge contemporary scores. In 2011 he was announced Principal Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke's in New York, beginning a four-year term including an annual concert season at Carnegie Hall.

In 2013/14 Heras-Casado debuts with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig – as well as at the Metropolitan Opera, where he conducts Verdi's Rigoletto. He returns to Carnegie Hall and the Caramoor Festival with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and conducts Beethoven's Symphony No.9 at the New Year's concerts of Staatskapelle Berlin. Other highlights include return performances with the San Francisco Symphony, Münchner Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Ensemble intercontemporain. He also tours with Freiburger Barockorchester and guest conducts a series of concert and opera performances at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Past seasons have seen the Spanish conductor make important appearances with orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston and Chicago symphony orchestras, and the Cleveland Orchestra. He was also re-invited by Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Spanish National Orchestra and Teatro Real, Madrid. In 2012/13 he appeared for the first time at Deutsche Oper Berlin and Oper Frankfurt, while 2012 marked his debut at the Salzburger Festspiele.

In September 2013 Harmonia Mundi releases Heras-Casado's recording of Schubert's Symphonies Nos.3 & 4 with Freiburger Barockorchester. A second album, featuring Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Mendelssohn's Symphony No.2, "Lobgesang", follows in March 2014. Meanwhile Deutsche Grammophon's Archiv Produktion – which recently welcomed Heras-Casado as an "Archiv Ambassador" – has announced an album celebrating legendary castrato singer Farinelli. Autumn 2013 also sees the release of a disc on Sony featuring Placido Domingo in baritone arias by Giuseppe Verdi with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana conducted by Heras-Casado.

Recognized also for his work with contemporary music, Heras-Casado is a laureate of the 2007 Lucerne Festival conductors' forum. In Summer 2013, he returns for the third time to co-direct the festival's Academy at the personal invitation of Pierre Boulez.

Heras-Casado is the holder of the Medalla de Honor of the Rodriguez Acosta Foundation, and in February 2012 was awarded with the Golden Medal of Merit by the Council of Granada, his hometown, of which he is also an Honorary Ambassador. His 2011 DVD recording of Kurt Weill's "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" from Teatro Real received the Diapason d'Or.

Booklet for Mendelssohn: Ein Sommernachtstraum (A Midsummer Night's Dream - Complete Melodrama)