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Mendelssohn: Overtures / Chmura, London Symphony Orchestra


Release Date: 12/08/2010 
Label:  Dg Musikfest Catalog #: 423025   Spars Code: ADD 
Composer:  Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 0 Hours 55 Mins. 

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This CD is reissued by ArkivMusic.

Notes and Editorial Reviews

I greatly enjoyed these performances, even though, in a sense, they are slightly wrongly characterized. The whole essence of the playing, alert, polished, and full of life, is Mozartian. Thus the opening of Fingal's Cave lacks something in evocative imagery, yet the central climax is splendidly built (strikingly clean string articulation and not just for its own sake); Ruy Bias lacks something in robust excitement yet its finesse is a pleasure and contrasts well with the hint of vulgarity in some versions; the opening of Fair Melusine is worthy of Beecham in its delicate sense of colour, and there is some delightfully dainty playing in A Midsummer Night's Dream which affords much pleasure by its restraint, without loss of magic: the closing Read more pages are lovely. There is a superbly sustained pianissimo at the opening of A Calm Sea and plenty of vigour when the voyage gets underway. The prosperity emerges very positively in the gleaming brass entry at the end and the closing string cadence is beautifully timed. The London Symphony Orchestra is on top form and DG's sound is first class, crisp and clear yet with plenty of bloom on wind and strings alike.

-- Gramophone [2/1981]
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Works on This Recording

1.
Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, in E major Op. 21 by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1826; Germany 
 Length: 12 Minutes 52 Secs. 
2.
Hebrides Overture, in B minor Op. 26 "Fingal's Cave" by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1829-1832; Rome, Italy 
 Length: 10 Minutes 37 Secs. 
3.
Ruy Blas Overture, Op. 95 by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1839; Germany 
 Length: 8 Minutes 20 Secs. 
4.
Die schöne Melusine Overture, Op. 32 by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1833; Germany 
 Length: 11 Minutes 45 Secs. 
5.
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture, in D major Op. 27 by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:  Gabriel Chmura
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1828; Germany 
 Length: 11 Minutes 57 Secs. 

Sound Samples

The Hebrides, Op.26 (Fingal's Cave): Allegro moderato
Ruy Blas, Op.95 - Overture to Victor Hugo's play: Lento - Allegro molto
Overture "The Fair Melusine", Op.32: Allegro con moto
Overture "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Op.21: Overture (Allegro di molto)
Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt, Op.27: Adagio - Molto Allegro e vivace

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 1 Customer Review )
 Lucky Find! March 15, 2014 By bess holloway (Boulder, CO) See All My Reviews "My recording of this music is on an original disc found one time in the bargain bin at a record store. I brought it home and realized what a jewel I had! Buy it, love it." Report Abuse
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