Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Incidental Music
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Composer: Felix MendelssohnConductor: James Levine
Performer: Florence Quivar
Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker
Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Judith Blegen
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2004-10-12
Music Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Soundtracks:
- Allegro Vivace - James Levine
- Andante Con Moto - James Levine
- Con Moto Moderato - James Levine
- Saltarello (Presto) - James Levine
- Overture (Allegro Di Molto) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Scherzo - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Song With Chorus: 'Bunte Schlangen, Zweigezungt' - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Intermezzo - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Notturno - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Wedding March - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Finale: 'Though This House Give Glimm'ring Light' - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Free Music Notes for Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Incidental Music
Free Music Review: Great musicianship at a very low price
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD contains Levine's 1985 reading of the Mendelssohn "Italian" Sym. with the Berlin Philharmonic, filled out by the standard suite of music from A Midsummer Night's Dream" (with some vocal additions for Judith Blegen, Florence Quivar, and chorus) with the Chicago Sym. from 1989. Both are exemplary recordings in excellent sound, with many touches of exceptional musicianship. Tempos ae fast, but Levine avoids the breathless rush that man condcutors favor in the finale of the symphony--he slows it down just enough to allow some warmth from the strings.
Levine has always been a great orchestral technician like his mentor, George Szell, but these readings aren't cold and rigid like Szell's. In fact, as acclaimed as Szell's "Italian" Sym. has been, I enjoyed Levine's similarly clean-cut, precise reading much more. Both orchestras really do play prodigiously, and if it weren't for a strange droopiness in the trio of the smphony's scherzo, this "Italian" would be my first choice. No argument about the Midsummer Night's Dream Over., though; Levine and the CSO work miracles of wit and delicacy. At the time these two orchestras belonged respectively to Karajan and Solti, but for a magical hour Levine makes them his own.
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