Felix And Fanny Mendelssohn (1809-1847 And 1805-1847)

Episodes

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20090120090504Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, two sibling prodigies whose lives took very different paths, but whose music had much in common.

The programme focuses on their early years, with the two both growing up in each other's pockets - with the same teachers and the same musical influences. While Fanny was often described as the better pianist of the two, that would change when the 12-year-old Felix was invited to go and play for Goethe, while Fanny was left behind. It marked the first major step in her exclusion from the musical limelight into which Felix was about to step.

Fanny Mendelssohn: Suleika und Hatem

Sophie Daneman (soprano)

Mark Padmore (tenor)

Eugene Asti (piano)

Hyperion CDA67388, Tr 12

Duration: 2m23s

Mendelssohn: String symphony No 3 in E minor

Hanover Band

Roy Goodman (conductor)

RCA 09026 68069 2 CD1 Trs 7-9

Duration: 9m11s

Mendelssohn: Double Piano Concerto in E (3rd mvt)

Roland Pontinen, Love Derwinger (pianos)

Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam

Lev Markiz (conductor)

BIS CD-688, Tr 3

Duration: 7m50s

Mendelssohn: Piano Quartet in B minor, Op 3 (1st mvt)

Domus

Virgin Classics VC7911832

Duration: 8m48s

Mendelssohn: Pilgerspruch, Op 8 No 5

Fanny Mendelssohn: Das Heimweh, Op 8 No 2

Stephan Loges (baritone)

Hyperion CDA67388, Trs 23 and 15

Durations: 2m17s, 2m17s

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture (for piano duet)

Duo Egri and Pertis

Hungaroton HCD 32410, Tr 53

Duration: 11m23s.

Donald Macleod focuses on Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn's early years.

20090220090505Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, two sibling prodigies whose lives took very different paths, but whose music had much in common.

The programme looks at the launch of Felix's career with his famous Octet, which was composed in 1825. Fanny's composing and playing, on the other hand, was limited to amateur music-making in soirees held at the family home.

Including a group of Fanny's songs published under Felix's name, a string quartet inspired by a love song, two works written for Fanny's birthday and an excerpt from the operetta Felix wrote for his parents' silver wedding anniversary.

Fanny Mendelssohn: Ferne (Felix's Op 9 No 2); Der Rosenkranz (Felix's Op 9 No 3); Die fruhen Graber (Felix's Op 9 No 4)

Susan Gritton (soprano)

Eugene Asti (piano)

Hyperion CDA67110, Trs 3-5

Durations: 2m23s, 2m35s, 3m32s

Mendelssohn: Frage, Op 9 No 1

Margaret Price (soprano)

Graham Johnson (piano)

Hyperion CDA 66666, Tr 2

Duration: 1m27s

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No 2 in A minor, Op 13 (1st mvt)

Emerson String Quartet

DG 477 5370 CD1

Duration: 7m35s

Mendelssohn: Hora Est

Chamber Choir of Europe

Nicol Matt (conductor)

Brilliant Classics 99997 CD6, Tr 1

Duration 8m46s

Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte, Op 19, No 5

Luba Edlina (piano)

Chandos 89489 Tr 5

Duration: 3m58s

Mendelssohn: Heimkehr aus de Fremde (excerpt)

Lisbeth - Helen Donath (soprano)

Mother - Hanna Schwarz (mezzo-soprano)

Hermann - Peter Schreier (tenor)

Kauz - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (bass-baritone)

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Munchner Rundfunkorchester

Heinz Wallberg (conductor)

CPO 9995552 Trs 20-26

Duration: 13m14s.

Focusing on the launch of Mendelssohn's career and the different path that his sister took

20090320090506Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, two sibling prodigies whose lives took very different paths, but whose music had much in common.

He concentrates on Felix's growing popularity as he receives his first commissions following his grand tour, contrasting it with his sister's adaptation to married life. She starts her own salon in the Mendelssohn family home, where she can play and conduct her own works.

Including one of those commissioned works which became known as the Italian Symphony, a cantata premiered at Fanny's musical evenings, plus the last major work she would write for many years to come.

Mendelssohn: Song without Words, Op 19 No 6

Luba Edlina (piano)

Chandos CHAN 89489, CD1 Tr 6

Duration: 2m18s

Mendelssohn: Songs without Words, Op 30 No 2

Chandos CHAN 89489, Tr 8

Duration: 2m13s

Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat

Erato Quartett Basel

CPO 999 679-2 Trs 1-4

Duration: 19m47s

Mendelssohn: Italian Symphony (1st mvt)

Philharmonia Orchestra

Walter Weller (conductor)

Chandos CHAN 10224(3) X, CD3 Tr 1

Duration: 10m38s

Mendelssohn: Die Erste Walpurgisnacht (excerpt)

Eberhard Buchner (tenor)

Siegfried Lorenz (baritone)

Siegfried Vogel (bass)

Rundfunkchor Leipzig

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

Kurt Masur (conductor)

Berlin Classics BC 2057-2, Trs 8-11

Duration: 11m56s.

Donald Macleod contrasts Felix's growing popularity with Fanny's adaptation to marriage.

20090420090507Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, two sibling prodigies whose lives took very different paths, but whose music had much in common.

He examines how Felix had become a hugely popular figure in England and Germany and, with the publication of his oratorio St Paul, how his fame spread across the world. Six months into his job as Leipzig Gewandhaus director, he then met his future wife. Meanwhile, Fanny continued to occupy herself with her popular musical soirees, and when the opportunity arose for her to spend a year in Italy, she finally received the recognition for her musical talents she had always craved.

Featuring two of Fanny's most important compositions inspired by her trip, two works by Felix written following his marriage and a group of songs written expressly to sing out of doors.

Mendelssohn: St Paul (excerpt from Part 1)

Gundula Janowitz (soprano)

Hans Peter Blochwitz (tenor)

Paul - Theo Adam (bass)

Rundfunkchor

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

Kurt Masur (conductor)

Philips 420 801-2, CD1 Trs 19-20

Duration: 5m52s

Mendelssohn: Sechs Gesange, Op 34, Nos 2,3, 4

Margaret Price (soprano)

Graham Johnson (piano)

Hyperion CDA66666, Trs 8-10

Duration: 8m41s

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No 2

Stephen Hough (piano)

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Lawrence Foster (conductor)

Hyperion CDA66969

Duration: 21m2s

Fanny Mendelssohn: Das Jahr (excerpt)

Lauma Skride (piano)

Sony BMG 88697030162, Tr 12

Duration: 4m28s

Mendelssohn: Sechs Lieder in Freien zu singen, Op 48 Nos 2, 3, 4

Netherlands Chamber Choir

Uwe Gronostay (conductor)

Globe GLO5075, Trs 23-25

Duration: 4m15s.

Focusing on Felix's appointment as Leipzig Gewandhaus director and Fanny's belated success

200905 LAST20090508Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, two sibling prodigies whose lives took very different paths, but whose music had much in common.

He examines the final years of Felix's life, when he struggled to divide his time between professional engagements across Europe and his rapidly expanding family and composing. By 1846, when Fanny finally summoned the courage, without Felix's support, to go ahead and publish her music, she only had a year to live, and Felix couldn't cope with the devastating loss. Within a matter of months he, too, was dead.

Featuring one of Felix's most important sacred works: the string quartet written in the months after Fanny's death and one of his sister's most significant chamber works, written shortly before she died.

Mendelssohn: Sechs Spruche, Op 79 Nos 1, 4, 5, 6

Christine Barratt (soprano)

Joya Logan (contralto)

Kenneth Roles (bass)

Corydon Singers

Matthew Best (conductor)

Helios CDH55268, Trs 7, 10-12

Duration: 6m49s

Mendelssohn: Athalia Overture

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Claus Peter Flor (conductor)

RCA RD 87905, Tr 5

Duration: 8m27s

Fanny Mendelssohn: Piano Trio (1st mvt)

Dartington Piano Trio

Hyperion CDA66331, Tr 5

Duration: 10m52s

Mendelssohn: Lauda Sion (Nos 4, 5, 6)

Isabell Muller-Cant (soprano)

Eibe Mohlmann (contralto)

Daniel Sans (tenor)

Philip Niederberger (bass)

Chamber Choir of Europe

Wurtembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen

Nicol Matt (conductor)

Brilliant Classics 99997, CD4 Trs 10-12

Duration: 8m9s

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No 6 in F minor, Op 80 (4th mvt)

Emerson String Quartet

DG 477 5370, CD3 Tr 9

Duration: 5m23s

Mendelssohn: Songs without Words, Op 67 No 6

Luba Edlina (piano)

Chandos CHAN 8948/9, CD2 Tr 12

Duration: 2m38s.

Donald Macleod explores the final years of the Mendelssohns' lives.