Mendelssohn

Christian Poltera, Ronald Brautigam - Felix Mendelssohn: Works for Cello and Piano (2017)

Felix Mendelssohn: Works for Cello & Piano (2017)
Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)

EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 259 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 142 Mb | Artwork included
Classical | Label: BIS | # BIS-SACD-2187 | 01:00:26

It is well known that Felix Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny was a highly talented musician, but fewer are familiar with the fact that there were two other musical siblings in the Mendelssohn family: Rebecka, a gifted singer, and Paul, a very competent amateur cellist. It is to Paul, a banker by profession, that we owe the existence of much of Felix’s music for the instrument, which in spite of Beethoven’s endeavours hadn’t yet become firmly established as a duo partner of the piano. Fitting comfortably on a single release, Mendelssohn’s works for cello and piano are here presented by Christian Poltera and Ronald Brautigam, who open with the Variations concertantes in D major, composed in 1829. Brautigam has recently released the composer’s Lieder ohne Worte, performing them on a copy of a piano by Pleyel from 1830, and plays the same instrument on the present disc. Meanwhile, Poltera has chosen to equip his 1711 Stradivarius cello with gut strings, and together the two musicians and their instruments create a sound which is both flexible, transparent and vigorous – ideal for Mendelssohn’s scores.
COE, Nikolaus Harnoncourt - Felix Mendelssohn: 'Ein Sommernachtstraum', Op. 61; 'Die erste Walpurgisnacht', Op. 60 (1993)

Felix Mendelssohn: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Op. 61; 'Die erste Walpurgisnacht', Op. 60 (1993)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt

EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 339 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 209 Mb | Scans included
Classical, Orchestral, Choral | Label: Teldec | # 9031-74882-2 | Time: 01:17:55

Mendelssohn's highly potent brand of magic here in rhythmically robust live recordings of eight numbers from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a formidable team of soloists for the spooky Walpurgisnacht.
LSO, John Eliot Gardiner - Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No.5 'Reformation'; Overtures (2015)

Felix Mendelssohn - Symphony No.5 'Reformation'; Overtures (2015)
London Symphony Orchestra; Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 200 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 112 Mb | Artwork included
Genre: Classical | Label: LSO Live | # LSO0775 | Time: 00:47:09

Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the London Symphony Orchestra join forces once again in the latest instalment of their exploration of Mendelssohn’s symphonies. Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 5, commonly known as the ‘Reformation’ Symphony, was written in 1830 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Augsberg confession – a seminal event in the Protestant Reformation. Allusions to the symphony’s title and inspiration can be heard throughout the music itself; the Dresden Amen is cited by the strings in the first movement whilst the finale is based on Martin Luther’s well-known chorale Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God’). Coupled with this are two of Mendelssohn’s overtures, Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and Ruy Blas, both of which were inspired by literary works. Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, based on two short poems by Goethe, depicts the journey of sailors at sea with a still adagio opening ultimately giving way to a triumphant homecoming. Completing the album, the overture Ruy Blas was commissioned by the Leipzig Theatre as an overture to Victor Hugo’s tragic drama of the same name.
Nikita Magaloff - Piano Recital (Mendelssohn, Mozart, Liszt, Skrjabin, Chopin, Glinka) (1994) (Remastered)

Nikita Magaloff - Piano Recital (Mendelssohn, Mozart, Liszt, Skrjabin, Chopin, Glinka) (1994) (Remastered)
XLD Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue, log) | 246 mb | Covers | 1:14:44 | MP3 CBR 320kbps | 173 mb
Classical | Label: Ermitage / ERM 415-2

Nikita Magaloff is known, among other things, for his complete Chopin recordings. This programme, recorded some eighteen months before his death, shows his very mature pianism.
Kristian Bezuidenhout, Gottfried von der Goltz - Mendelssohn: Double Concerto, Piano Concerto (2011)

Kristian Bezuidenhout, Gottfried von der Goltz - Mendelssohn: Double Concerto, Piano Concerto (2011)
EAC | FLAC (tracks+.cue, log) | Covers Included | 1:11:36 | 323 MB
Genre: Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | Catalog: HMC902082

For those new to Mendelssohn's music, this might look like a recording of some major works of the composer; be aware that they're virtually unknown music of Mendelssohn's early teens, first published in complete form only in 1999. For those already a fan of Mendelssohn, however, they're very intriguing works that show the developing talents of the young composer in a different light than do the set of twelve-string symphonies that are his most frequently performed works of the period.
Cecilia String Quartet - Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Op.44 Nos. 1, 2 (2015) [Re-Up]

Cecilia String Quartet - Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartets, Op.44 Nos. 1, 2 (2015)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 260 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 121 Mb | Artwork included
Genre: Classical | Label: Analekta | # AN29844 | 00:45:05

GRAMOPHONE Magazine Editor's Choice - February 2016. The Cecilia String Quartet's performances have been hailed as “powerful” (Chicago Sun- Times) and their Analekta albums were acclaimed for their “deeply felt imperativeness” (The Strad), and applauded for “unleashing the music’s ecstasy and angst” (Gramophone Magazine). For this new recording, the CSQ chose to record two of the three quartets of Felix Mendelssohn's Op. 44, which are the centrepiece of his mature string quartets. He wrote them in the years 1837-38, starting composition at the age of 28, when his fame in the international musical community was rapidly growing. Elegant and irresistible!

VA - Classics for Creativity: Mendelssohn (2022)  Music

Posted by Rtax at March 23, 2022
VA - Classics for Creativity: Mendelssohn (2022)

VA - Classics for Creativity: Mendelssohn (2022)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 3.3 GB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 1.7 GB
13:12:20 | Classical | Label: UMG

Far from the troubled, coarse libertine that has become an archetype of the Romantic composer, Felix Mendelssohn was something of an anomaly among his contemporaries. His own situation – largely one of domestic tranquility and unhindered career fulfillment – stands in stark contrast to the personal Sturm und Drang familiar to his peers. Mendelssohn was the only musical prodigy of the 19th century whose stature could rival that of Mozart. Still, his parents resisted any entrepreneurial impulses and spared young Felix the strange, grueling lifestyle that was the lot of many child prodigies. He and his sister Fanny were given piano lessons, and he also studied violin, and both joined the Berlin Singakademie.
Cherubini-Quartett - Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 3 & 4 (2004)

Cherubini-Quartett - Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 3 & 4 (2004)
EAC | WV | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 262 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 145 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Classical | Label: EMI Classics | # 5 85803 2 | Time: 00:56:40

The first two of the three string quartets of Mendelssohn's Op. 44 were recorded by the Cherubini Quartett in 1990. With its transparent textures, elegant phrasing, and refined execution, the ensemble is temperamentally suited to this music, which seems to require those qualities above others. While Mendelssohn acquired many advanced compositional techniques from studying Beethoven's quartets, he never presumed to plumb the master's spiritual depths, and preferred instead to emulate the Classical gentility and poise of Haydn and Mozart. The String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 44/1, is predominantly exuberant and optimistic, and the Cherubini Quartett delivers it in a light, effervescent style, and only occasionally touches on the deeper passions that Mendelssohn prized in this work. More serious and fervid in expression, the String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44/2, evokes the tense emotions of eighteenth century Sturm und Drang. The Cherubini Quartett renders the work with a darker coloration and richer tone, but these shadings neither interfere with the clarity of the parts nor weigh down Mendelssohn's fleet lines.

Roberto Prosseda - Mendelssohn Rarities (2006)  Music

Posted by tirexiss at Feb. 10, 2023
Roberto Prosseda - Mendelssohn Rarities (2006)

Roberto Prosseda - Mendelssohn Rarities (2006)
EAC | FLAC (image+.cue, log) | Covers Included | 01:09:30 | 250 MB
Genre: Classical | Label: Decca | Catalog: 476 5277

It's a bit odd that the four piano sonatas on this recording are almost completely unknown, given that Felix Mendelssohn's 12 string symphonies date from perhaps a year later and are fairly often performed and recorded. The sonatas are indeed youthful works, dating from 1820 when Mendelssohn was just 11. Yet they are already entirely characteristic works. All are in minor keys, and they have the admirable concision of the string symphonies; Mendelssohn avoided the tendency of so many other young composers to go all over the map.
Hausmusik London - Felix Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2 (2000) 2CDs

Hausmusik London - Felix Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2 (2000) 2CDs
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 546 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 284 Mb | Scans included
Classical | Label: Virgin Veritas | # 7243 5 6 1809 2 5 | Time: 02:03:13

Hausmusik’s performance of the Mendelssohn Octet comes with the advantage of a sensibly steady tempo for the famous scherzo, allowing for maximum transparency and lightness; and a dazzling finale in which for once the cello’s first scurrying fugal entry sounds crystal clear. The First String Quintet, and the Op. 13 Quartet – Mendelssohn’s homage to the late quartets of the recently deceased Beethoven – are also miraculous products of the composer’s teenage years. The Quintet is quite beautifully done here, but the Quartet, like the late Quintet, Op. 87, is rather lacking in tension and urgency. Woldemar Bargiel was Schumann’s brother-in-law. For all its obvious weaknesses, his Octet contains some attractive ideas, and Divertimenti’s performance makes a strong case for it. Divertimenti is impressive in the Mendelssohn, too – though its finale is not quite as exhilarating as Hausmusik’s; and in the last resort neither group can quite match the élan of the ASMF Chamber Ensemble.