MENDELSSOHN, Felix: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Symphony No. 5, "Reformation" (Lortie, Quebec Symphony)

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Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (more info)
Performed by: London Mozart Players Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice Moscow Chamber Orchestra Royal Albert Hall Orchestra Quebec Symphony Orchestra
Composed by: Felix Mendelssohn
Conducted by: Robert Stankovsky Constantine Orbelian
Benno Moiseiwitsch, piano
Benjamin Frith, piano
Landon Ronald, piano
Howard Shelley, piano
Louis Lortie, piano
Bella Davidovich, piano


1. I. Molto allegro con fuoco - 00:06:44
2. II. Andante - 00:05:36
3. III. Presto - 00:05:53


Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40 (more info)
Performed by: London Mozart Players Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice Quebec Symphony Orchestra
Composed by: Felix Mendelssohn
Conducted by: Robert Stankovsky
Benjamin Frith, piano
Howard Shelley, piano
Louis Lortie, piano


4. I. Allegro appassionato - 00:08:28
5. II. Adagio - Molto sostenuto - 00:06:18
6. III. Finale: Presto scherzando - 00:05:57


Symphony No. 5 in D major, Op. 107, "Reformation" (more info)
Performed by: Chambre Philharmonique, La Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra Ireland National Symphony Orchestra Quebec Symphony Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra Dresden Staatskapelle Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra German Radio Saarbrucken-Kaiserslautern Philharmonic Orchestra
Composed by: Felix Mendelssohn
Conducted by: Thomas Fey Reinhard Seifried Roger Norrington Colin Davis Walter Weller Emmanuel Krivine
Louis Lortie, piano
Christoph Poppen, violin


7. I. Andante - Allegro con fuoco - 00:10:06
8. II. Allegro vivace - 00:04:33
9. III. Andante - 00:03:02
10. IV. Andante con moto - Allegro vivace - 00:07:29

Reviews

Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos 1 & 2; Symphony No. 5 (Oct 19, 2009)
Reviewer:Ted Wilks
This ATMA disc contains Mendelssohn's two Piano Concertos and his Fifth Symphony. The piano playing is highly competent and the Symphony is well performed. My own recording of the two concertos is by Serkin and the Philadelphia Orchestra (AAD) and this new one, with Louis Lortie, manages to be faster than the Serkin. The symphony is also considerably faster than my recording by the London... This ATMA disc contains Mendelssohn's two Piano Concertos and his Fifth Symphony. The piano playing is highly competent and the Symphony is well performed. My own recording of the two concertos is by Serkin and the Philadelphia Orchestra (AAD) and this new one, with Louis Lortie, manages to be faster than the Serkin. The symphony is also considerably faster than my recording by the London Symphony Orchestra. In the case of the Symphony, I like it just as well. I have a personal view on how Mendelssohn's piano music is played by most artists - too fast. I love the intricate passage work in the piano parts (e.g. in the D minor trio). Most recordings (e.g. Heifetz; Beaux Arts Trio; Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson) take it so fast that the piano part is sometimes a blur.
In this recording by the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, I felt that the piano part was well articulated, but I still have a slight preference for the Serkin version.
The brisker tempos in the Symphony do not detract from the performance in any way. Overall, this is a fine recording and I would recommend it for anyone who does not have a recording of the works.
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