Notes and Editorial Reviews
Two recent all-Mendelssohn releases, one on Claves and the other
on Harmonia Mundi each including the Double Concerto,
an infrequently heard score from the young composer. For Claves
the Camerata Bern perform using modern instruments, metal strings
and modern bows. On Harmonia Mundi early music specialists the
Freiburger Barockorchester provide a fascinating contrast using
period instruments.
Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture and
String Octet are both widely regarded
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as works of youthful
genius. Contained on these two releases are even earlier scores
- the Concerto for piano and strings in A minor and the
Double Concerto for violin, piano and strings in D minor
from 1822/23. At this time the precociously talented Mendelssohn,
then a mere fourteen years old, had already composed over a
hundred scores including twelve String Symphonies. Mendelssohn
intended that he would be able to perform the Double Concerto
with his friend the violinist Edward Rietz and they did
this in 1823 in front of sixty guests at a Sonntagsmusiken
(Sunday musicales) at the Mendelssohn’s Berlin home. Mendelssohn’s
early concertos, composed in a flurry of activity in the early
1820s, comprise: Concerto for piano and strings in A minor
(1822); Concerto for violin in D minor (1822); Double
Concerto for violin, piano and strings in D minor (1823);
Concerto for two pianos in E major (1823) and Concerto
for two pianos in A flat major (1824). Most likely because
these concertos are from the pen of a young teenager they fell
into oblivion for many years and are still often overlooked
today. Yet, owing to Mendelssohn’s genius they contain many
beautiful melodies, numerous fresh and novel ideas and will
provide much pleasure.
The original scoring of the Double Concerto is the version
that is performed here by the Freiburger Barockorchester. Commencing
with a lengthy opening Allegro full of interest the excellent
soloists perform with an impressive dialogue and awareness.
Featuring an extended and charming unaccompanied duet for violin
and fortepiano the attractive Adagio is given a satisfying
performance so highly romantic in character. Creating a tempestuous
feel the Freiburger Barockorchester take the Rondo, Finale
at breakneck speed requiring real concentration and energy.
Throughout the persuasive duo convey a real sense of engagement
with the music.
Following that home-based private performance Mendelssohn felt
inclined to re-score the Double Concerto by adding winds
and timpani. Just over a week later the revision was performed
at the Berlin Schauspielhaus. This version with winds and timpani
was rediscovered among the Mendelssohn papers and this is what
the Camerata Bern has chosen to perform. Claves state on the
rear of the gatefold sleeve that this is the world première
recording of the Double Concerto in the version with
winds and timpani. There is beautiful playing from Weithaas
and Lonquich in the extended opening Allegro. The violin
is given a highly romantic feel more like a Brahms concerto
than the classically inclined Mendelssohn. However, Weithaas
is careful never to overdo the vibrato. In the Adagio with
its substantial section for unaccompanied violin and piano the
duo express an atmosphere of intense yearning. With unforced
naturalness the prevailing mood is one of calm and relaxation.
It would be hard to imagine a quicker tempo than that from the
Camerata Bern in the Finale. The duo play with consistent
charm and perception in a performance that exudes personality.
On Claves the Camerata Bern also perform the String Quintet
No.2 composed in 1845 when Mendelssohn was thirty-six -
only two years before his untimely death. Mendelssohn prepared
a version for String Orchestra that Camerata Bern performs
here. The Claves booklet notes state that this is its first
recording. Breezy, fresh and very brisk playing opens the Allegro
vivace movement with the slower central passages sustaining
a tense undercurrent. The dance-like Andante scherzando
is full of vivacity and charm contrasting nicely with the
solemn and reverential tread of the Adagio e lento. I
especially enjoyed the finale where there’s real energy and
exhilaration.
The second score on the Harmonia Mundi disc from the Freiburger
Barockorchester is the Concerto for piano and strings in
A minor composed in 1822. Then only thirteen years old Mendelssohn
had been inspired to write the score for his sister Fanny to
play after hearing Hummel’s A minor Piano Concerto. Soloist
Kristian Bezuidenhout on the fortepiano plays this undemanding
and appealing music quite exquisitely. The keyboard figurations
and extended double trills are confidently performed. At 7:27-8:18
the introduction of the mournful strings over the fortepiano
is a master-stroke. The highly romantic melody for the soloist
is movingly played with rapt sensitivity. The writing in the
Rondo, finale delights the ear. From 8:50 the
brilliant Coda provides an exhilarating conclusion to
this most agreeable score.
In the Double Concerto for violin, piano and strings it
is hard to choose. The couplings for both issues are extremely
interesting. It is very much down to whether you want an exciting
performance on modern instruments with modern set-ups from Camerata
Bern or a stirring period instrument approach from Freiburg.
Don’t let any previous bad experiences with the fortepiano put
you off. Here Kristian Bezuidenhout plays a wonderful sounding
fortepiano after Conrad Graf (1824) built in 1989 by Rodney
Regier, USA.
With regard to sound quality the Harmonia Mundi disc catches
the musicians closely with much colourful detail. My slight
reservation is over-brightness in the forte passages. By comparison
the Claves is splendidly recorded perhaps a touch bright at
times but well balanced with much fine detail. The music of
the young Mendelssohn is extremely well served by these two
new releases. One could do much worse than add both releases
to your Mendelssohn collection.
-- Michael Cookson, MusicWeb International Read less
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