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Mendelssohn: Symphony No 2 "Lobgesang" / Markl, Ziesak, Erdmann, Elsner

Mendelssohn / Ziesak / Erdmann / Mdr / Markl
Release Date: 12/14/2010 
Label:  Naxos   Catalog #: 8572294   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  Felix Mendelssohn
Performer:  Christian Elsner,  Mojca Erdmann,  Ruth Ziesak
Conductor:  Jun Märkl
Orchestra/Ensemble:  MDR Symphony Orchestra,  MDR Radio Choir
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 1 Hours 9 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

Mendelssohn stirringly and fervently done. Superbly crafted performance.

We are used to encountering this conductor in Debussy (Naxos 8.570775, 8.570759, 8.570993, 8.572296 and 8.572297), Ravel (8.570992) and Messiaen (8.572174). However he does have some Mendelssohn in his young discography. He recorded Elias (Elijah) also with Ruth Ziesak and Leipzig MDR forces on Naxos 8.572228-29. This was received fairly well by John Sheppard and less so by Gavin Dixon.

This Lobgesang is fervent and fiery. The symphonies 3 and 4 have rather unfairly put numbers 1, 2 and 5 in the shade. In fact the first of Lobgesang’s thirteen - here separately tracked - movements pre-empts the spirited orchestral Read more writing of the Scotch and the Italian. The second movement, not for the last time, has a distinct Schumann inflection. The Adagio religioso (III) is warm and almost Tchaikovskian in Märkl’s hands. These three initial movements are purely orchestral. The choir appear for the first time in IV and makes a stirring sound, showing the grand, glowing and gilded tradition from which Franz Schmidt’s Das Buch Mit Siebel Siegeln arose. Listen to their radiantly plush contribution at the start of the Chorale – Nun danket alle Gott (tr. 11). The singing of choir and soloists is smoothly toned and borne high on powerful lungs and artistically well-judged vocal craft. Ziesak is a potent dramatic soprano. Christian Elsner is a tenor partly founded on the Ian Partridge model yet with more intense sap. He has the heroic apparatus to square up to the demands of Johannes in the Schmidt oratorio mentioned earlier. The other two singers are never less than good.

The German texts and English translations are in the booklet, and may also be found at the Naxos website.

This is Mendelssohn in glorious vocal and orchestral form. Do not let the low price point fool you into assuming anything here is mediocre; quite the contrary. This is stirringly and fervently done; a superbly crafted performance in a satisfyingly engineered recording.

-- Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International
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Works on This Recording

1. Symphony no 2 in B flat major, Op. 52 "Lobgesang" by Felix Mendelssohn
Performer:  Christian Elsner (Tenor), Mojca Erdmann (Soprano), Ruth Ziesak (Soprano)
Conductor:  Jun Märkl
Orchestra/Ensemble:  MDR Symphony Orchestra,  MDR Radio Choir
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1840; Germany 

Sound Samples

Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): I. Sinfonia: Maestoso con moto - Allegro - Maestoso con moto come I
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): I. Allegretto un poco agitato -
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): I. Adagio religioso
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): II. Alles was Odem hat (Chorus) -
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): II. Lobe den Herrn meine Seele (Soprano, Chorus)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): III. Recitative: Saget es, die ihr erlost seid - Er zahlet unsre Tranen (Tenor)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): IV. Sagt es, die ihr erloset seid (Chorus)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): V. Ich harrete des Herrn (2 Sopranos, Chorus)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): VI. Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen (Tenor) - Wir riefen in der Finsternis (Tenor) - Die Nacht ist vergangen (Soprano)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): VII. Die Nacht ist vergangen (Chorus)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): VIII. Chorale: Nun danket alle Gott (Chorus)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): IX. Drum sing' ich mit meinem Liede (Soprano, Tenor)
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise): X. Ihr Volker! bringet her dem Herrn (Chorus)

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 1 Customer Review )
 Beautiful, Satifying, Bargain September 21, 2012 By W. Wilborn (Richwood, TX) See All My Reviews "Recommended. I was not familiar with this beautiful symphony until I bought this copy. High quality sound, beautiful singing and playing, bargain priced by Naxos." Report Abuse
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