# Mendelssohn symphony recordings



## kracker (Jun 20, 2020)

I know they are not the most popular symphonies out there(with the exception of #3/#4 maybe) but I was thinking of getting a set... Heard a little by Abbado with the London Symphony Orch. but I haven't had the time to check out any other samples.

Any Suggestions or should I just buy them separately?


----------



## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

Karajan( Deutsche Grammophon), Wolfgang Sawallisch, Christoph von Dohnanyi( Decca)...( i think Hitink did a complete Mendelssohn).

Alao: Leonard Bernstein for 3-5( Deutsche Grammophon), John Eliot Gardiner for 4 and 5( Deutsche Grammaphon), Lorin Maazel for 4and 5( Deutsche Grammophon).


----------



## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

Karajan







Dohnanyi







Gardiner


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Ned Low said:


> Lorin Maazel for 4and 5( Deutsche Grammophon).


Maazel, to my ears, is one of the few conductors who gets the Reformation Symphony right. In the last movement, there is the transition from the first theme into the Mighty Fortress theme, and the transition needs to be goosed, because it is a little flabby. Maazel picks up the tempo there, and that fixes the problem.

Personally, I like Karajan for the 2nd symphony. Under his direction it becomes big and magesterial. The extreme opposite is Spering, who goes for fast and lean.

I think Szell excels in the Italian symphony. It needs precision (so Abbado disappoints me in this one), and Szell nails it.

As for complete cycles, I have Abbado's cycle, and I don't think anyone would be disappointed with it, but personally, I prefer Karajan. But that's just me.

Of course, like with any major composer, you can't just have one cycle.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

If you want a single set, consider getting all five symphonies and the string symphonies too. Naxos has a set, and then this one came out in the past several years. Has 4.5 out of 5 stars on 50 ratings at Amazon. 









And if you like Masur but only want the five symphonies, there is this 3-disk set (not sure if the same performances as the above)









And there is this set (and perhaps others if one further searches):


----------



## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

I have generally been underwhelmed by Mendelssohn's symphonies - need to try again.
However, the string symphonies are great fun. Love them.


----------



## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

This gives you all the symphonies, plus A Midsummer Night's Dream, the violin and piano concertos, overtures, and Die Erste Walpurgisnacht, which is a gem.

Very enjoyable performances.

For the symphonies alone, I'd second Dohnanyi and the VPO.


----------



## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

I like Mendelssohn’s symphonies, and my favorite cycle is Sawallisch with the New Philharmonia Orchestra from 1967 on Decca. Lively but sensitive performances in good sound.


----------



## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

I have a Jekyll-and-Hyde recording from Karajan and the BPO of the 3rd and 4th symphonies which I find almost impossible to characterise as a whole. The "Scottish" is positively THE best performance I've ever heard, whereas much of the "Italian" goes to unmusical extremes - 1st and 4th movements driven so hard that even the Berlin Phil 's discipline starts to fray around the edges (though the sound they make is uniformly wonderful), 3rd movement by contrast clearly too slow, to the point of doziness.


----------



## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

I've got a few, but I'm especially fond of this cycle, perhaps due to mere sentimental reasons.









Regards,

Vincula


----------



## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

vincula said:


> I've got a few, but I'm especially fond of this cycle, perhaps due to mere sentimental reasons.
> 
> View attachment 145686
> 
> ...


I didn't know he did the complete symphonies. I only have his Midsummer Night's Dream.


----------



## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

Ned Low said:


> I didn't know he did the complete symphonies. I only have his Midsummer Night's Dream.


Got that one too in an exceptional reissue from Decca:









IMHO Peter Maag doesn't get the attention he deserves.

Regards,

Vincula


----------



## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

That Maag with the Scottish is great. I should get it on disc.

I am not much a fan of Lorin Maazel but his Reformation with the Berliners is brilliant. I have the box set with Masur/Leipzig and like it just fine. I guess I'm not much of a Mendelssohn symphonies guy but I do respect the music.


----------



## kracker (Jun 20, 2020)

Thanks guys. Decided to try Karajan... then after I listen to them I'll probably branch out with other recordings as well.


----------



## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

I can't in any way disagree with the excellent choices made in this thread, but I'll mention that I am huge fan of the Gardiner/LSO cycle. I actually have substantial mixed feelings about Gardiner (love his Bach, am lukewarm on his Beethoven, not a fan of his Schumann) but with this I think he demonstrates top-shelf quality.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Then there is always this set:









But you get four different conductors on the symphonies Bruggen (1,4), De Waart (2), Oestman (3), and Immerseel (5), but all the string symphonies are Masur.


----------

