Mendelssohn: String Symphonies & Octet

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I Musici revel in the spontaneity, exuberance and good humour of Mendelssohn’s early string symphonies. The Octet is no less enjoyable, impeccable ensemble matched by refined musicianship. — BBC Music Magazine, October 2018, 4 out of 5 stars

Release Date: 6th Apr 2018
Catalogue No: ELQ4825111
Label: Eloquence
Length: 2 hours 15 minutes

Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 10 in B minor

Work length13:10

$1.10

$1.50

I Musici
Recorded: 1970-10-04
Recording Venue: La Chaux de Fonds

Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 11 in F major

Work length42:15

$5.50

$7.50

I Musici
Recorded: 1970-05-10
Recording Venue: La Chaux de Fonds

1. Adagio - Allegro molto

Track length12:29

$1.10

$1.50

2. Scherzo: Commodo (Schweizerlied)

Track length4:10

$1.10

$1.50

3. Adagio

Track length10:58

$1.10

$1.50

4. Menuetto: Allegro moderato

Track length4:36

$1.10

$1.50

5. Allegro molto

Track length10:02

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 12 in G minor

Work length21:25

$3.30

$4.50

I Musici
Recorded: 1970-10-04
Recording Venue: La Chaux de Fonds

1. Grave - Allegro

Track length6:45

$1.10

$1.50

2. Andante

Track length6:05

$1.10

$1.50

3. Allegro molto

Track length8:35

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 9 in C major

Work length25:28

$4.40

$6.00

I Musici
Recorded: 1961-07

1. Allegro moderato

Track length9:01

$1.10

$1.50

2. Poco adagio

Track length6:45

$1.10

$1.50

3. Scherzo

Track length2:20

$1.10

$1.50

4. Allegro moderato

Track length7:22

$1.10

$1.50

Mendelssohn: Octet in E flat major, Op. 20

Work length32:46

$4.40

$6.00

I Musici
Recorded: 1966-06
Recording Venue: Aula la magna de l'ateneo Antoniano, Rome

1. Allegro moderato, ma con fuoco

Track length14:12

$1.10

$1.50

2. Andante

Track length7:10

$1.10

$1.50

3. Scherzo (Allegro leggierissimo)

Track length4:42

$1.10

$1.50

4. Presto

Track length6:42

$1.10

$1.50

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A comprehensive survey of the young Mendelssohn at his most prodigiously accomplished, in superbly cultivated performances by a classic Italian ensemble, including a recording never before issued on CD by Decca.

In the 1960s and 70s, I Musici were synonymous for record collectors with Baroque music. Having been founded by graduates from Rome’s Accademia di Santa Cecilia in 1951, they soon picked up an exclusive contract with Philips and proceeded to make classic recordings such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with Salvatore Accardo (now reissued on Eloquence, 4825091) as well as familiarising listeners with figures less well-known at the time such as Albinoni (4643672) and Tartini (4825079).

The present release compiles the recordings of Mendelssohn made by the ensemble for Philips between 1961 and 1970. The first of these featured the Ninth String Symphony on Side B, coupled with dances by Schubert which have already been reissued by Eloquence on ‘Dances of Old Vienna’ (4826152). Almost everything Mendelssohn composed during his teenage years is graced with the spirit of the Baroque, and in these string symphonies he flexes youthful muscle in explorations of harmony, rhythm, structure and scoring.

While the melodic freshness and contrapuntal facility of the symphonies are remarkably precocious, the Octet is still more astonishing as the work of a fully formed creative mind, operating at the height of its power and imagination at just sixteen years of age. The enjoyment taken by I Musici themselves is palpable: one of them once remarked in interview: ‘Sometimes we get awfully fed up with all these –aldis and –ellis and –inis and –onis. We love this music of course, and we’d never give it up. But it would be so nice now and then if we could play something different.’

‘I Musici performs with splendid musicianship, beautiful tone, and obvious relish. Philips’s sound is clean and bright. A delightful disc.’ High Fidelity, July 1968 (String Symphony No. 9)

‘Of all the fine recordings I Musici has given us, this is surely one of the most joyous – an unabashed romp in the sun from start to finish. The Octet is soaring, free and wonderfully flexible in dynamics.’ High Fidelity, June 1970

‘I Musici plays all this music impeccably, catching the gaiety of much of it and fully expressing the deep feeling in the symphony’s first movement. Excellent recording, too.’ Gramophone, February 1971 (Symphony No. 11)

Reviews

October 2018

I Musici revel in the spontaneity, exuberance and good humour of Mendelssohn’s early string symphonies. The Octet is no less enjoyable, impeccable ensemble matched by refined musicianship.

Mendelssohn: String Symphonies & Octet

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