Music / kor

Choral-orchestral works


Reviews (10)


RBB Kultur

d. 28. Apr. 2020

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Claus Fischer (musikanmelder)

d. 28. Apr. 2020

"In der Nacht vor dem ersten Mai, sagt der Volksmund, fliegen die Hexen und diverse andere Geister zum Brocken und tanzen. Dieser Volksglaube inspirierte Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy zu einer Kantate, die man auch ein "weltliches Oratorium" nennen könnte, eine Vertonung des bekannten Gedichts von Johann Wolfgang Goethe ... Der Chorklang ist - wie immer bei Frieder Bernius - auch hier klar und transparent. Dann kommt dazu, dass die Ausdeutung des gesungenen Wortes für ihn enorm wichtig ist, man versteht jedes Wort. Und er schafft grundsätzlich eine frappierende Balance zwischen Chor, Orchester und Solisten ... Allerdings - das ist der kleine Wermutstropfen dieser CD - aufgrund der grossen Perfektion, die Bernius anwendet, geht an einigen Stellen etwas von der Expressivität verloren".


MusicWeb international

2024 February

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Richard Hanlon

2024 February

"This fine disc ... caps a splendidly conceived programme whose main purpose is to place Fanny Hensel's delightfully thoughtful vocal music in the context of two of her brother's more familiar contributions to the genre ... On the one hand Temple's innovative programming contrasts Felix's Bachian Christmas cantata Von Himmel Hoch with the weird yet wonderful secular ballad Die erste Walpurgisnacht; on the other he directs a pair of little known works by his beloved sister Fanny, the brief biblical cantata Hiob (Job) and Gartenlieder, a touching yet ambitious cycle of six songs for acapella chorus which she composed during the last year of her life. This unaccompanied sequence offers an attractive counterpoint to a trio of orchestrally supported choral works, all of which are thrillingly performed and stunningly captured by the Chandos engineers.


MusicWeb international

2020 July

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Gwyn Parry-Jones

2020 July

"Walpurgis Night ... The young Mendelssohn - just 23 when he completed the initial version of the work - responded well to the essential lightness of the story, and the music is delightful ... This splendid recording is promoted by Carus ... Like many of their recordings, this one is directed by Frieder Bernius, who draws beautiful playing and singing from his various ensembles ... A superb performance of a light-weight but enjoyable piece ... 'Oedipus in Kolon' is more problematic ... Beautifully sung by the fine young men's voices of Kammerchor Stuttgart; but with the best will in the world, this is not very riveting to listen to. No solos, no moments of true drama ... Still, the main item on this disc is Die erste Walpugisnacht, and the performance of that is well worth hearing".


Classical net

2010

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Gerald Fenech

2010

"This well-filled disc includes some of the finest choral works by three Romantic-era composers which are often rather underrated especially the Schumann piece which is almost unknown. Nagano conducts a forceful reading of "Die Erste Walpurgisnacht" ... "Nänie" is also quite ravishingly done ... A real winner apart from the rather staid front cover photo".


BBC music magazine

2024 March

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Jessica Duchen

2024 March

"Of the many current recordings to pair the sibling composers Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, this is one of the most unusual yet, featuring choral rarities by both - and the music offers some surprises ... The performances unfortunately don't always help the works' causes ... The team proves uneven ... The ensemble, meanwhile, is a tad loose at the seams, both within the London Mozart Players and in their coordination with the Crouch End Festival Chorus ... Overall, then, there are good moments, but too few of them".


Fono Forum

2024 März

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Christoph Vratz

2024 März


BBC music magazine

2020 September

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Oliver Condy

2020 September

"Mendelssohn's 1831 Goethe-inspired secular cantata is a thrilling ride, full of the composer's expressive genius. A zestful performance, immaculately recorded - plus the rare Oedipus in Kolonus".


Fono Forum

2020 August

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Thomas Otto

2020 August

"Frisch erklingen die beiden Ouvertüren ... Hervorragend ist die klangliche Homogenität des Stuttgarter Kammerchores, zumal in der durch das Stück angelegten häufigen Aufteilunt in Frauen- und Männerchöre ... Bernius treibt sein hervorragende Ensemble zur wilden Jagd, der man atemlos folgt, bis hin zum weihevollen Finale ... Grosses musikalisches Kino, wirkungsvoll ergänzt".


The gramophone

2024 February

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Malcolm Riley

2024 February

"Temple really has the measure of this highoctane music, his approach confident yet persuasive, refined yet incisive. The chorus convey perfectly the textual inflections, with authentic German diction. Ashley Riches's characterisation is faultless. The London Mozart Players are superb ... This new recording is surely the new benchmark".


International record review

2011 April

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John Warrack

2011 April

"It sings with a beauty of tone and a musical energy that are a great tribute all round. So it is a pity that the recording lets it down in Mendelssohn's piece".