Search - Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Klaus Tennstedt, Riccardo Muti :: Mendelssohn: Symphonies 3 & 4

Two outstanding Mendelssohn performances--a winner at this p

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Klaus Tennstedt, whose major career lasted less than twenty years before his premature death at 71, was a genuinely great conductor. I've waited to praise hi Mendelssohn "Italian" because there are a dozen great performances to compete with this one with the Berlin Phil. But if he has nothing especially new to say, Tennstedt delivers a wonderful performance, with the Berlin Phil. is thrilling form, particularly in the hair-raisingly fast finale.



Just as good, but more stiff in its approach, is the 'Scottish' Sym. under Muti, who applies his usual disciplined beat with hardly any romantic yielding of the line. But as with Toscanini, this approach works well with Mendelsoohn's transparent scoring and fleet tempos. Some listeners may miss the joviality and expansiveness of Bernstein's NY Phil. recording, my favorite, or Karajan's grand sweep. But Muti gives excellent value, musical and monetary. The mid-Seventies sonics are very good. The New Philharmonia is placed a bit distantly with hall echo around it, but there's still plenty of detail."