# Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream---Incidental Music



## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Mendelssohn's Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream(opus 21) was originally scored as a piano composition for four hands in 1826, when the composer was only seventeen years old. It was given its first public performance the following year in Stettin, Germany, by which time it had taken its best known and subsequently most popular orchestral form. It wasn't until 1843 that the composer completed his Incidental Music (opus 61) and thereafter conjoined it with the original Overture. Though many conductors have recorded only four portions of the entire Midsummer---Overture, Scherzo, Nocturne and Wedding March---some have presented it in its complete form, which includes voices in a number of segments.

In its four piece form, the music has long been both a concert staple and favorite of record and cd collectors far and wide. Here's a chance to offer any comments you might have about Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream in any or all formats it has been showcased. As usual, discussing your favorite recording is certainly welcome.

Despite other Mendelssohn titles to threads here, I notice only one thread from 2008 specifically asking for a recorded recommendation of Midsummer without vocals. It received only three responses. Perhaps this thread will be able to generate a more extended response.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I no longer have my vinyl of the complete Midsummer, but it had the vocals and I especially liked:


You spotted snakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy queen.

Philomel, with melody
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm,
Nor spell nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.

Weaving spiders, come not here;
Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.

Philomel, with melody, etc.


And then "Hence away ", etc. I need to get another recording; such lovely music!


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Yes, it is "lovely music". You might want to try Haitink's very fine performance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, which is my favorite complete version.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Decca had a very fine complete recording from around 1970, with the Philharmonia conducted by Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos. I think I still have it somewhere.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

There's a cute "little" march which is not the famous wedding march (I think in the '50s it appeared in a cartoon). During a really weird but evocative incident sometime in the '80s, the clock radio in our kitchen suddenly activated itself in the very middle of the night (like around 2:00 a.m.). As I blearily felt my way downstairs to turn it off, I was aware that the station was playing that same little march -- and remembered, probably not coincidentally, that it was Shakespeare's birthday.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Mackerras and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on Virgin. Somewhere between the four portion version and the complete version.

But best of all is to see it danced. Both Balanchine's two act version (which includes other Mendelssohn music) and Ashton's "The Dream."


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

The two I love the most are Claus Peter Flor on Sony and Andre Previn on EMI.
Beautiful played a joy to the ear.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks for starting this very worthwhile thread. I prefer the complete Midsummer Night's Dream to the orchestral parts only.

I have this set in German:









I also bought this one because I thought it would be good to hear in English with excerpts from Shakespeare's play included; however, I mostly like to listen to the sung-in-German one.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

I've heard neither Midsummer in German nor anything conducted by Herreweghe. May be time for me to do some catching up on what's out there.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

This may seem like a totally perverse suggestion given his not-always-deserved reputation, but try Otto Klemperer's recording. It is not the full incidental music but is more than you get on many recordings. Not only is it very well done, well played (and not slow) but it also features Janet Baker and Heather Harper in the vocal parts.

BTW, for those convinced of Klemperer's lugubrious tempi, try his recording of the Mozart Horn Concerti with Alan Civil, or better yet, the recording of Johan Strauss. You will be in for a very pleasant surprise.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

I used to have a vinyl record of this piece. Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit from Decca. Cannot find the CD version over the years. Good stuff!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

pcnog11 said:


> I used to have a vinyl record of this piece. Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit from Decca. Cannot find the CD version over the years. Good stuff!


Plenty of them out there, perhaps lowing your standards just a_ tin_y bit?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I got an old vinyl version by Kletzki and the Philharmonia as a lad with Dennis Brain on the horn in the nocturne. Worth listening to just for that - superb! Unfortunately when I tried to get it on CD the transfer was poor. If not Litton / LPO (was on CFP) is really good. I've also got an old DG recording by Fricsay with vocals in German


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## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

I have Herreweghe version. Also I like Marriner and Previn's Midsummer night's dream.
Narration seems a bit jarring to me, and it was driving me crazy on first time listening, can't imagine wanting to have to repeat the experience, so I avoid versions with it. 

I'm interested in Dausgaard's Midsummer night on BIS, it has some extra bits that are not included in other interpretations. I listenend a little to it and liked the sound, and singing, and I'd like to buy Previn, so I'm still considering whether to add or not BIS to my purchase list.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

Pugg said:


> Plenty of them out there, perhaps lowing your standards just a_ tin_y bit?


My standards have not been lowered. I have 32 bit version performed by the Royal Philharmonic, high quality audiophile version.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

pcnog11 said:


> My standards have not been lowered. I have 32 bit version performed by the Royal Philharmonic, high quality audiophile version.


I was more referring to the fact :


> I used to have a vinyl record of this piece. Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit from Decca. Cannot find the CD version over the years. Good stuff!


At that time I was thinking you where looking for the same high musical quality, now I do understand your meaning of that.
Confused, that's all.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

We are want to see high musical quality....agreed, that is the whole point why we are on this board.


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