Review: Paavo Järvi's Fresh, Exciting Mendelssohn Symphonies

[@TonhalleOrchesterZurich]

Dear Dave, we appreciate your review on our new recording very much ❤🥰

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

My pleasure!

[@HeelPower200]

What an AMAZING symphony that I never heard before. Please continue to advocate for Mendelssohn! Its amazing how fully formed and mature his voice is.. Yes thr final takes after Mozart but then you this magical theme in the Pizzicato and the gorgeous coda that rains down light. So fully of surprises and effortless sense of flow and pacing.

[@mrhenu]

Paavo Järvi's Beethoven cycle is my favorite! So I need to get this instantly, thank you for the recommendation.

[@robertgruver9613]

I recently bought this set, and I wholeheartedly agree. I also would add, even though Jarvi's approach is period performance influenced, the phrasing in the slow movements is gorgeous. The 2nd symphony doesn't fall prey to the many things that bring almost every other recording I've heard down. The tempi of the individual sections of the cantata are bracing and expressive when needed. You can hear the organ, and the soloists are all good. I love the set. Thanks for bringing it to everyone's attention.

[@slushpump2338]

Dave, so nice to hear you advocating for good old Felix! Just like Elgar! I remember seeing a series of photographs of Elgar discussing Mendelssohn's "Elijah" - which was being performed at that year's Three Choirs Festival - with George Bernard Shaw. Shaw is said to have made some comment to the effect of, "Mendelssohn's problem was that he couldn't orchestrate." This was apparently too much for Elgar, who opened his score of "Elijah" and began turning pages saying "Nonsense! Here's a good stroke! And look! Here's another one!" The last photograph shows Shaw with head thrown back, laughing, having good-naturedly taken his friend's point. I'm pretty sure those photos are in a book I have at home. If I can find them, or find a link to them online I'll post another comment. Dave, thank you again for all you do to expand musical horizons for so many of us!

[@stephenkenny1647]

What a superb disc. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@chuckdorr97]

Wow! Jarvi is one of my very favorite conductors so I grabbed this straightaway. And boy, I think I have been missing Mendelssohn or something as after only playing #1 and #5, I am thrilled. Mendelssohn does deserve more attention for sure.

[@HoraceInExile]

Could not agree more that Mendelssohn deserves more than to be pigeonholed as the cheerful chappie of the Romantic Era. So much more to him. Just listen to the quartet he wrote in response to the death of his sister.

[@mgconlan]

Thank you for giving the "Lobgesang" symphony the respect it deserves! It's my favorite Mendelssohn symphony. Mendelssohn actually wrote 17 symphonies but the first 12 "string symphonies" are usually written off as juvenilia and not worth bothering with, which I think is really unfair.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, I've pushed the string symphonies here too. Lovely works.

[@Bezart34]

@@DavesClassicalGuide They are lovely - the string symphonies. I still feel that Mendelssohn doesn't quite have the kudos he deserves, unfortunately.

[@JasonSTL]

Thanks. I took this set on recently and really enjoy it, especially Nos. 1, 2, and 5, as well as the Midsummer Night’s Dream incidental music. It’s all very well-played and thoughtfully conceived. The energy makes it work in the same way that sets with more Romantic approaches (e.g., Abbado) work.

[@classicalduck]

On my first sampling of this set, I noticed two things which I think merited particular approval. First is the presence of the exposition repeat in the Italian. There are a few bars of lovely music that are lost if you don't take this little transition back to A major. The second is that the MSND music (or at least the Overture, where it is noticeable) includes the characterful ophicleide, which works much better in this music than its more common substitute, the bass tuba. I will return to this set for much more pleasant listening. By the way, I met Paavo Järvi many years ago, along with his parents. I can even place the exact date, as I was working on my M.A. thesis, and I had a New Year's Eve party to go to, so it was December 31, 1982, which (according to sources) was the day after his 20th birthday! Amazing that he has built a fine career, perhaps with a little help from the family name, but also with a lot of hard work and studious musicianship. Oh, and he had a full head of hair. But then, so did I....

[@anwla]

That’s why I love this channel, always learning something new; i.e. had no idea Ein Heldenleben was ironic. Mainly because I never thought of Germans as funny - at all

[@bloodgrss]

Have to say, Dave, your recommendation of his 1st symphony got my interest-I had never sought it out, or thought it might be that interesting. It IS magnificent!

[@stpd1957]

I love that set.

[@im2801ok]

I would very much like to have your take on Manacorda's Mendelssohn cycle, Dave. I like it a lot - I find it has a more "singing" quality than Järvi's (I have Järvi's set, too, and like it also). It seems Manacorda's set just slipped under the radar - as has his Schubert cycle (which I like, too).

[@maximisaev6974]

I did not see that one coming Dave. I'm definitely going to have to give Jarvi's set a listen. There are so many conductors that manage a single or few Mendelssohn Symphonies, but precious few who can bring all five of them off. I've set the bar pretty high I think, but if Jarvi's set can rival Walter Weller's with The Philharmonia, I'll be a most happy man indeed. Thanks for the recommendation. Take care!

[@figgymoonpowda]

I recently listened to the Harnoncourt / Concentus Musicus Wien recording of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons based on the review on ClassicsToday and was really taken aback with a sudden emotional response from hearing something that I always disliked, presented in a way I had not heard before - not a gimmick, not re-interpreted, but without the decades of syrup. I appreciate that moment and the recommendation very much. Here criticism can truly prolong and defend the legacy of these artists. I thank you, Vivaldi would than you, and I am sure that Mendelssohn would appreciate your analysis of this performance as well. I can't wait to listen to it!

[@eddihaskell]

I'm going to listen, thanks. There are few recordings of Mendelssohn Symphonies after the 1960's (I did like the Blomstedt / SFO #4/#5) that I have heard that I like. I have one box set by Abbado/LSO from 1985 that was recorded in full digital but it sounds very harsh -- your ears grow tired of the harsh "early digital" sound quickly.

[@shostakovich343]

Agreed. Abbado also recorded 3 and 4 with the LSO for Decca in 1968, in beautiful analogue stereo. His "Scottish" is, I think, even better than the contemporaneous Peter Maag recording.

[@eddihaskell]

@@shostakovich343 What about my favourtie Mendlessohn Symphony #5, Reformation? I have a Munch/Boston Living Stereo disc with the 4th (recorded in 58 and 57). Are there any other candidates you can recommend?

[@shostakovich343]

@@eddihaskell The Munch performance is excellent, although the recording always sounded a bit opaque to me. I also rate highly Dohnányi (Decca) and a very driven Maazel with the BPO (DG).

[@judsonmusick3177]

Dave, does the new Jarvi recordings supplant the Dohnanyi/VPO recordings of the Mendelssohn symphonies as your favorite recordings?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, but I haven't lived with it as long and it's very good. I'm happy to have both.

[@judsonmusick3177]

Dave, are the "Lobgesang" texts and English translations provided in the booklet of this album?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes.

[@judsonmusick3177]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I decided to take a chance on this new Jarvi album and bought it. It's wonderful. Thank you for alerting me of its existence.

[@markgifford6291]

Dear Dave, what do you make of Jarvi's recent Brahms cycle?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I haven't seen it anywhere.

[@rameau6577]

I think I‘ll buy the box👍

[@riuanna3795]

Hello, David. In your video about the ideal Mendelssohn's symphony cycle, you talk about how you had already made a video about his best complete cycles. But unfortunately I'm not finding that video. Has it been deleted? Cheers.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, but it could be I never did make it. I'll have a look and see.

[@riuanna3795]

I probably misunderstood what you said in the video then. Best regards.

[@yvonnekoopman8598]

Yes, it does exist because I just recently went looking for it and found it but it's not under the usual title. Dave discusses a couple of complete cycles in his talk "Repertoire: Listening to Mendelssohn" at minute 6:05

[@riuanna3795]

Thank you very much for figuring this out and helping me out. Best wishes!

[@bernardley4540]

This is the guy who should have got the Chicago job. Excellent Beethoven, decent Brahms, now this

[@martinhaub6828]

So Paavo may have found his niche? His Beethoven cycle was excellent. But the Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Mahler left me unimpressed. Maybe it's the earlier music he does best.

[@margusmagi6703]

I would add his Schumann interpretation as well. Two remarks. 1. some German critics have doubts about PJs "romanticism" generally (sorry Dave H) 2. some find PJ version kind of refreshing, but - sorry to mention that - all he is managing to do is to cover the exterior of the old house with a new layer of paint he likes. It seems new (from outside!), but is not new at all (kind of nice to watch / listen to). -- I personally have my doubts about his Beethoven as well - he does not get LvB general spirit (despite many years he put in it). For that one needs to have special mindset (like for Goethe). But there is something to listen to.