Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 'Scottish' & Widmann: 180 Beats per minute, Fantasie

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On paper, the programme planning seems incongruous, since there appears to be no obvious stylistic connection between the two composers. Yet in practice, the contrasts work surprisingly well... — BBC Music Magazine, July 2018, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 11th May 2018
Catalogue No: C945181A
Label: Orfeo
Length: 62 minutes

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Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture, Op. 26

Work length9:39

$2.00

$2.60

$3.50

Irish Chamber Orchestra
Jörg Widmann
Recorded: 4 December 2015
Recording Venue: ICO Studio, Limerick, Irish Republic

Widmann, J: 180 beats per minute für streichsextett

Work length5:11

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Irish Chamber Orchestra
Recorded: 25 June 2015
Recording Venue: ICO Studio, Limerick, Irish Republic

Widmann, J: Fantasie

Work length7:51

$2.00

$2.60

$3.50

Jörg Widmann (clarinet)
Recorded: 15 November 2017
Recording Venue: ICO Studio, Limerick, Irish Republic

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 'Scottish'

Work length39:19

$10.00

$12.90

$17.50

Irish Chamber Orchestra
Jörg Widmann
Recorded: 2 April 2014
Recording Venue: University Concert Hall, Limerick, Irish Republic

I. Andante con moto - Allegro un poco agitato

Track length15:41

$4.00

$5.15

$7.00

II. Vivace non troppo

Track length4:09

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

III. Adagio

Track length9:22

$2.00

$2.60

$3.50

IV. Allegro vivacissimo - Allegro maestoso assai

Track length10:07

$3.00

$3.85

$5.25

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Seldom has one heard arguably the best-known work of Mendelssohn, the brilliant Hebrides Overture, so wild, gruff and raw, as in this concluding instalment of Mendelssohn symphonies with Jorg Widmann. This is without question a thoroughly contemporary interpretation; we get the now universal sense of hearing anew that comes with period instruments, even though none are being played here. It must have been a real stimulus to the composer at the conductor's desk – a music analyst in the highest degree – to take this music tamed by over-familiarity and strip it of everything that is pseudo-obvious, middle-of-the-road. And it is that principle, faithfully followed in the earlier releases, of quite deliberately comparing and contrasting Mendelssohn's works with the clarinet-playing conductor's own that must have been what struck the spark and audibly kindled the musicmaking spirit of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. A drama otherwise reserved for the concert hall here comes across admirably on disc: the well-known early-19th-century works sound like new – almost alien – which is a compliment to their interpreters. Widmann's two early works, now a part of his own history, turn out to be good, even exhilarating, listening; inspired by the young composer's disco nights, '180 beats' goes well with the fascinating 'Fantasie', played by the composer himself, which effortlessly surmounts the limits seemingly set on the harmonies of a monophonic wind instrument. We may easily go astray when 'placing' a piece of music, as the lively booklet-text tells us Schumann did when he credited the 'Scottish' with an Italian flavour. Be that as it may, this is a spine-tinglingly new way to listen to Mendelssohn's music.

Reviews

July 2018

On paper, the programme planning seems incongruous, since there appears to be no obvious stylistic connection between the two composers. Yet in practice, the contrasts work surprisingly well and unexpected parallels emerge…It helps of course that Widmann presents Mendelssohn in a much more uncompromising light than is often the case…The Irish Chamber Orchestra plays with strong commitment throughout this disc.

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 'Scottish' & Widmann: 180 Beats per minute, Fantasie

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