In these vital super audio recordings from BIS,
Andrew Litton and the
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra bring such enthusiasm and high spirits to these fine and frisky performances of Mendelssohn's First and Fourth symphonies and his Ruy Blas Overture that only the curmudgeonliest of curmudgeons could complain about the duplication of standard repertoire. The colors of Ruy Blas glow with vivid hues, the sonorities of the First Symphony resound with rich harmonies, and the rhythms of the Fourth, the "Italian," drive forward with irresistible energy. Listeners may recall with fondness the superlative performances of the fiery
Claudio Abbado with the
London Symphony Orchestra, and while the Bergen musicians aren't in that same class in terms of polish, they certainly have the necessary determination.
Litton isn't in the same class as
Abbado in terms of skill, but he yields nothing to the Italian conductor in commitment. For some listeners, the clarity and immediacy of BIS' recording may be more appealing than the plush stereo of Decca's recording.