# SS 21.12.13 - Mendelssohn #4 "Italian"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm going to post this one a little early because I'm going to be out of the office tomorrow.

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

*Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)*

Symphony #4 "Italian" in A Major, Op. 90 

1. Allegro vivace
2. Andante con moto
3. Con moto moderato
4. Presto & Finale: Saltarello
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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)

This Saturday I will listen to:

View attachment 30784


Leonard Bernstein & The New York Philharmonic


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

My compulsory choice:









Abbado, LSO


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Two phenomenally strong choices for me here and I am going to listen to both, one tomorrow and one on Saturday:

Klaus Tennstedt & the Berliner Philharmoniker (very underrated recording)
View attachment 30790


Christoph von Dohnanyi & Wiener Philharmoniker (classic recording, my introduction to the Composer)
View attachment 30791


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I'm going for that same Tennstedt recording myself, but as long as we listen to it on different days, it _should_ be okay...


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

I'll roll with Tamas Vasary and the Philharmonia.

I must say I'm surprised by just how much lower Felix's 3rd was ranked (58th) compared to the 4th (24th). For me, the Italian is wonderful, but the Scottish is perhaps his magnum opus.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Normally, what I do for Saturday Symphonies, is build an evening "concert programme" around the symphony, with at least a concerto thrown in as well. Not so sure about this one, tbh. It's quite short (especially compared to the relative behemoths we've had over the last few weeks), so I might just listen to it alone.

Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin/Ashkenazy


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## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

I would like to suggest Karl Böhm and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. It is included in the huge box from DG "Schubert´s masterpieces". They perform all the 8 symphonies in vibrating records.
Since this is going to be a busy weekend, I decided to listen it today (lets we say is saturday with jet lag)


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

csacks said:


> I would like to suggest Karl Böhm and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. It is included in the huge box from DG "Schubert´s masterpieces". They perform all the 8 symphonies in vibrating records.
> Since this is going to be a busy weekend, I decided to listen it today (lets we say is saturday with jet lag)


It's ok if you don't listen on Saturday...but this weekend is Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4....not Schubert.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Blomstedt & SFSO


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Following Mika, w. *SFS/Blomstedt* (rec.1991). :tiphat:


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## Zarathustra (Dec 21, 2013)

Listened to it today for the first time. 

First time I listened to anything Mendelssohn actually.

Abbado with LSO. Nice. Good for casual listening.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

I'll go with the one from this set.
love the set.


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## DaDirkNL (Aug 26, 2013)

Bernstein and the NY Phil for moi.


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## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

realdealblues said:


> It's ok if you don't listen on Saturday...but this weekend is Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4....not Schubert.


Oh God, I read the thread and it was Schubert the one that came to my mind. I am sorry. My mistake. Ok, I must get it. Let me find it in iTunes. 
In Neurology, this is called attentional deficit syndrome. Stupidity could be a good synonym


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

AClockworkOrange said:


> Two phenomenally strong choices for me here and I am going to listen to both, one tomorrow and one on Saturday:
> 
> Klaus Tennstedt & the Berliner Philharmoniker (very underrated recording)
> View attachment 30790
> ...


I have listened to both of these. Previously I always held the von Dohananyi as my preferred recording - it's only competition for tyne longest time being Karajan/Berliner Philharmoniker but I must admit, I now prefer the Tennstedt recording in this particular symphony.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I'm listening to the our Saturday symphony right now, good Saturday morning music.

*Mendelssohn 4th London Philharmonic Orchestra with Bernard Haitink*, recorded in 1979. Terrific music. As mentioned above, it's a much lighter Sarurday symphony, not so intense. Makes for a nice change.

Do you remember the 1979 movie Breaking Away? This piece is used, along with the Barber of Seville because one of the lead characters is obsessed with the Italian Cycling Racing Team. If you haven't seen the movie, check it out, it gets good reviews.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Listening to the Italian Symphony now.

The most unusual feature for me is how the finale is in A minor. It's almost like the traditional symphonic idea of minor-key-start, major-key-ending is turned inside out. I don't know of any other piece that does this.


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## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

This is is Mendelssohn's 4th, by von Karajan and the BPO. Very nice recommendation indeed. Thanks


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

maestro267 said:


> The most unusual feature for me is how the finale is in A minor. It's almost like the traditional symphonic idea of minor-key-start, major-key-ending is turned inside out. I don't know of any other piece that does this.


I can't think of any other symphonies off the top of my head either, though Strauss's tone poem Don Juan goes from major to minor and the finale of Schoenberg's Chamber Symphony No. 2 begins in the major and ends in the minor. The first chord of Mahler's A minor symphony No. 6 is actually a major chord (but in inversion).

Anyway, it had been a while since I'd listened to this work, and I loved it. Mendelssohn was a great composer, and shamefully overlooked at times.

It was nice to have a shorter work after 7 weeks in a row of hour-plus behemoths, but next week is back to Bruckner's Ninth....


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

I feel like the 30 mins or so just fly by when listening to this Symphony. It may be short and concise but it is filled with so many ideas and beautiful themes, and how he manipulates and crafts these is simply exquisite in places. Indeed, the minor key ending is unique and such a contrast to the joyous opening to the work. His orchestration is, as always, warm yet full of grace. 

Felix's fairly small and less varied mature output (relative to Mozart and Schubert) has I think prevented him from being considered among the very greatest at times. Nevertheless, his mastery cannot be denied, I hope.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Abbado is pretty bland. Munch, Stokowski and Norrington in that order. Bohm would be great with this, but I don't have that one.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another good turnout. Thanks to everyone who took part.

I listened to this work twice over the long weekend. Once with my chosen recording from Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, then again with Kurt Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

This is just a wonderful work in my book. Actually I like all of Mendelssohn's symphonies, and this one really grabs you right from the beginning. I didn't mind hearing it twice this weekend at all.

Both recordings were well played. Bernstein just had a way with Mendelssohn that I enjoy, and although I usually find Masur boring for lack of a better word, his Mendelssohn is actually pretty light and airy and played with pretty quick tempos. He keeps it pretty entertaining.

It was definitely very nice to have a short work this week, as Mahlerian pointed out...lol. We've covered a lot of Behemoths and while Bruckner's 9th will be this weekend, there's some nice short ones coming up in the weeks ahead. I was looking ahead to see what Symphonies I didn't have recordings of and I noticed Webern's Symphony which I have not heard. I noticed it's only about 9 minutes long so that will be a very short one indeed...lol.


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