The
Heidelberger Sinfoniker under the direction of
Thomas Fey has an exceptionally strong string section that delivers masterful performances of Mendelssohn's String Symphonies No. 7 and No. 12. Balance across the instruments is quite pleasing. Even at the breakneck speeds achieved in the outer movements of these two symphonies, articulation is amazingly precise and clean, allowing listeners to hear each and every note. Inner movements are graceful and sentimental without being romanticized. The same level of detail and energy in the string section is achieved in Fourth Symphony for full orchestra, the so-called "Italian." The same cannot be said, however, for the other sections of the orchestra. In fact, the brass section renders this otherwise crisp, sparkling interpretation of the Fourth Symphony nearly intolerable. Articulation is mushy and delayed compared to the strings, tempo frequently drags, and the dynamics are so ill-balanced that they frequently cover up the entire orchestra. It's surprising and disappointing that
Fey would demand such intense precision from the strings, yet allow the brass to perform in such an undesirable manner. Listeners will certainly enjoy the recordings of the string symphonies, but should look elsewhere for a cleaner, more even performance of the Fourth Symphony.