Of all the major composers in relation to their talent Mendelssohn seems
the most neglected. Revered during his lifetime his music became less
regarded from around the mid-twentieth century; greatly hindered by the
prejudice surrounding his Jewish heritage. This reached its apogee under
National Socialism. From my experience in recent years performances of his
works if anything seem to be decreasing. Inexplicably it is only a handful
of compositions that keep Mendelssohn’s name in the spotlight: the
Violin Concerto in E minor,
Overture to a Midsummer Night’s
Dream,
Hebrides Overture (
Fingal's
Cave),
Scottish Symphony,
Italian Symphony, the
oratorio
Elijah and the
Octet.
Although extremely popular during Mendelssohn’s lifetime the
Symphony
No. 2 Lobgesang (
Hymn of Praise) is one of the least
performed of his major works. That said, Mendelssohn biographer Prof. R.
Larry Todd holds the view that in the last couple of decades it has begun to
enjoy a revival. The work was a commission by the city of Leipzig to
Mendelssohn its Kapellmeister for a celebratory concert to mark the 400th
anniversary of the invention of printing by Johannes Gutenberg in 1840.
Mendelssohn described the work as a ‘
A Symphony-Cantata on Words of the
Holy Bible, for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra’. He selected the words
himself from the Lutheran Bible, mainly verses describing ‘triumph over
darkness’ from the Psalms, Isaiah and two of Paul’s Epistles. Mendelssohn
also composed the
Festgesang an die Künstler (
Festival
Song) for the 1840 Gutenberg festival celebrations. Lasting here just
over an hour, structurally the
Lobgesang (
Hymn of Praise)
begins with a
Sinfonia in three purely orchestral movements in the
manner of a prelude or overture followed by a sequence of nine choruses,
recitatives and arias.
Marked
Maestoso con moto the opening section of the
Sinfonia has the heroic quality I like to hear, feeling more like
the opening to a late-Romantic symphony than a sacred choral work. Section
II marked
Allegretto un poco agitato has the distinct dance
character and the
Adagio religioso third section is deeply
reverential and apt to precede the score’s sacred text.
This is an outstanding performance of the
Sinfonia by the
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks with considerable forward
momentum under the assured direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
A highlight is the second movement (the opening of the cantata section)
scored for solo soprano, chorus and orchestra. The entrance of the choir
with the words
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn (
All men,
all things, all that have life and breath) makes a profound impression.
Devout and expressive it maintains throughout a notable weight of sound to
honour and extol a virtuous Lord. At 4:41 the entrance of soprano Christiane
Karg with the words
Lobe den Herrn,
meine Seele
(
Praise the Lord, my soul) lightens the proceedings. Karg’s voice
bathes the listener in a bright and piecing sacred light, although, I had
some minor concerns over her enunciation - specifically the lack of emphasis
for word endings.
In the third movement the tenor Michael Schade has crystal clear diction
giving praise and gratitude for the goodness of the Lord. Scored for chorus
the short fourth movement
Sagt es, die ihr erlöst seid (
All ye
that cried unto the Lord) is performed by the Bavarian Radio Chorus.
They show impressive unity in penitence to the Lord for his help in time of
need.
The best-known section of
Lobgesang (
Hymn of Praise) is
the duet for sopranos with chorus
Ich harrete des Herrn (
I
Waited for the Lord) which forms the fifth movement. Right from the
very beginning this movement has a dramatic effect. At the Thomaskirche
première in 1840 Robert Schumann wrote, “…it was like a glimpse of a Heaven
filled with Raphael Madonnas.” Sopranos Christiane Karg and Christina
Landshamer are wonderfully matched and poised providing just the right
amount of sacred expression. This gloriously devotional
E flat
major duet proclaims: blessed are those who trust in the Lord.
Movement six
Stricke des Todes (
The sorrows of death) is
a dark and serious tenor solo. Michael Schade sings with assurance and
commendable commitment declaring a doom-laden warning that the sorrows of
death are all around. The gloom begins to lighten at 3:48 with the welcome
entrance of the supplicant yet bright-toned soprano:
Die Nacht ist
vergangen! (
The night is departing!).
The words
Nun danket alle Gott (
Let all men praise the
Lord) commence the eighth movement for chorus that comprises two verses
of text. I recall this well-loved melody being a popular choice for school
anthems. The splendidly matched voices of the Bavarian Radio Chorus rise in
supplication and in praise and glory to the Lord and to the Holy
Trinity.
Marked
Andante sostenuto assai movement nine
Drum sing ich
mit meinem Liede (
My song shall be therefore thy mercy) is a
duet performed here by tenor Michael Schade and a soprano who I presume to
be Christiane Karg. Pleasingly contrasted the voices in the duet communicate
a devotional and unsullied declaration that the Lord redeems with watchful
goodness.
Under the attentive direction of Pablo Heras-Casado the Symphonieorchester
des Bayerischen Rundfunks provides unfaltering and sensitive support. This
never threatens to overwhelm the soloists or choral forces yet offers a
generous range of orchestral colours.
My reference recording of the Mendelssohn
Lobgesang has been
Karajan conducting the Edith Mathis, Liselotte Rebmann and Werner Hollweg
with the Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin and the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Karajan recorded this in 1972 in Berlin/Dahlem on Deutsche Grammophon. I
also greatly admire the recording with Frieder Bernius conducting Christiane
Karg, Maria Bernius and Werner Güra, the Kammerchor Stuttgart and the
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. This was recorded in 2008 at the
Evangelische Stadtkirche, Schwaigern. It’s volume 10 of the series of
complete Mendelssohn Sacred Choral Music on Carus. The merits are clear for
the 1985 version from the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Claudio
Abbado. At the Walthamstow Town Hall in London, Abbado assembled a sensitive
trio of Elizabeth Connell, Karita Mattila and Hans Peter Blochwitz together
with the excellent London Symphony Chorus on Deutsche Grammophon.
This excellent new release is a match for any of the versions in the
catalogue. The engineers have provided a most rewarding sound-stage being
clear and well balanced. Pleasingly the label has provided full German texts
with English and French translations in the booklet together with an essay
by Roman Hinke.
Michael Cookson
Masterwork Index:
Symphony 2
