# SS 17.10.15 - Mendelssohn #5 "Reformation"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)*

Symphony No. 5 in D major/D minor "Reformation", Op. 107

1. Andante - Allegro con fuoco
2. Allegro vivace
3. Andante
4. Andante con moto

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A weekend with good old Felix. I always enjoy listening to Mendelssohn. I have about 10 recordings of this work and usually I reach for Bernstein, Munch, Abbado or Dohnanyi. I think I'll go with Abbado this weekend:

View attachment 76481


Claudio Abbado/London Symphony Orchestra

I still think Abbado's Mendelssohn recordings were some of his finest work.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Another favourite this weekend. I'll listen to Masur/Leipzig and try and stream rdb's Abbado version as well.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

My version is London Sym. Orch:









Mine will be an outdoor concert, as I'll be spending the weekend filling the woodshed with the firewood needed in the coming winter. Fortunately, the weather won't be cold enough to demand an ear-covering hat.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Mendelssohn*: Symphony 5, w. NYPO/LB. Recorded 1966, Philharmonic Hall/Avery Fisher Hall. Recording Engineer: Fred Plaut.

Courtesy of YT:


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I'm listening to last year's release from CBSO/Gardner on Chandos.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Zinman/Rochester, although this isn't the actual CD I own. I have the two discs separately. The one with 3 and 5 is strangely all cardboard (no plastic jewel case) and it folds open the way a map does.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

I think this symphony is underrated.
My selection:


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I'll be going with Abbado/LSO as well.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


>


This will be my preferred choice this week


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Orchestra of the 18th Century u. Frans Brüggen (Philips)

/ptr


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## Bill H. (Dec 23, 2010)

An oldie but goodie here. Mitropoulos, NY Phil from the early 1950s. I took the original LP rip and did some tweaking of the sound; if anyone wants to give it a listen let me know and I'll provide a link to the mp3 files:


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

My personal preference for this piece is Loren Maazel. I think he gets to the heart of the piece. Notice how he handles the transition from the first theme to the second in the last movement. Most conductors take this flabby transition as it is and hope nobody will notice; Maazel kicks up the tempo and uses momentum to overcome this flaw.

Anyway, I'm going against my own advice and listening to Gardiner. For some reason, it's been sitting on my shelf for a while. I need to hear it before a fine layer of dust settles in.


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

C. von Dohnanyi and VPO.


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## Jeff W (Jan 20, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


> I'll be going with Abbado/LSO as well.











I'm Jeff W and I approve of this recording


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Skilmarilion said:


> C. von Dohnanyi and VPO.
> 
> View attachment 76501


I'll join Skilmarillion in my choice of listening. Christoph von Dohnanyi's cycle was my introduction to Mendelssohn and to this day remains my favourite cycle. I'll definitely be listening to this recording today. The Wiener Philharmoniker plays with particular beauty and C-von-D's interpretations of Mendelssohn are excellent.

If I get time, I'll also listen to John Eliot Gardiner's recent recording with the London Symphony Orchestra which has patiently been awaiting it's first listen.

One version I won't be listening to today but I have listened to recently is Edward Gardner and the CBSO - Mendelssohn in Birmingham recording. This is a fantastic performance (& series) and one I would happily recommend.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I hardly listen to Mendelssohn's symphonies at all these days but tonight or tomorrow I will disinter my old Abbado set and go through them all:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have the Abbado set (version shown in above post), but will listen to what was my first Mendelssohn 5th:


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## Asterix77 (Oct 17, 2015)

Abbado LSO, as shown in several posts already


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Also, trying to get my son to listen off his set:


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Just listened to Karajan's version. I never really liked this symphony very much, written by Mendelssohn at about 20. He's trying so hard to sound important, even cribbing a bit from the first movement's of Beethoven's 9th. But Mendelssohn doesn't really do "important" all that well.


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## Asterix77 (Oct 17, 2015)

KenOC said:


> Just listened to Karajan's version. I never really liked this symphony very much, written by Mendelssohn at about 20. He's trying so hard to sound important, even cribbing a bit from the first movement's of Beethoven's 9th. But Mendelssohn doesn't really do "important" all that well.


I love Mendelssohn, but I see your point...and I might agree that he is trying too hard. But I'll just have a soft spot for him and happily ignore it


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## Johnnie Burgess (Aug 30, 2015)

NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini

Went with a older version.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

realdealblues said:


> A weekend with good old Felix. I always enjoy listening to Mendelssohn. I have about 10 recordings of this work and usually I reach for Bernstein, Munch, Abbado or Dohnanyi. I think I'll go with Abbado this weekend:
> 
> View attachment 76481
> 
> ...


Abbado for me also


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Florestan said:


> I have the Abbado set (version shown in above post), but will listen to what was my first Mendelssohn 5th:


as I have mentioned on another 'thread' just had this particular recording delivered having never heard either work before-and I am really enjoying a second listen right now!


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

jim prideaux said:


> as I have mentioned on another 'thread' just had this particular recording delivered having never heard either work before-and I am really enjoying a second listen right now!


Masur doesn't get quite enough love. I still enjoy recommending his Dvorak 9 w. NYPO, and getting the exclamatory (positive) responses afterward.:tiphat:


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