Search - Mendelssohn, Davies :: Symphonies 1 2 & 3

A uniquely distressing issue

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 12/18/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"How does a company get the first three Mendelssohn symphonies and the Fingal's cave overture on two disks, you ask? Easy -- they simply end the Lobgesang symphony after the first three orchestral movements. For those of you that don't know the Mendelssohn Symphony No. 2, subtitled "Lobgesang", it is a knockoff of the Beethoven Symphony 9 with three orchestral movements leading into two vocal movements. Most recordings of it last around 70 minutes.



For some reason, this company thought it a good idea to try to sell only half the symphony. This is no joke; it's what's really going on in this recording. I was fooled into buying this when Musical Heritage Society bought the rights and circulated it some years ago, thinking it must have been some great new technology that got all this stuff onto 2 CDs. I wouldn't recommend you do the same.



When I returned it and complained only half the Symphony No. 2 was on the disk, MHS advertised it as the "rare performance of the purely orchestral Symphony No. 2" Fortunately, they never tried this with Beethoven's Ninth!



The performances are nothing to write home about, either. My favorite Mendelssohnian symphonist is Claus Peter Flor, whose set of all the symphonies, most of the concertos, and a lot of other stuff can be had through Amazon new for less than $30. I'd recommend that but, even if your favorite Mendelssohn conductor is anyone else, don't make the mistake I did by acquiring this travesty."