This box set, released in 2021, collects individual recordings of Mendelssohn's five symphonies by the Kammerakademie Potsdam and conductor Antonello Manacorda, dating as far back as 2015. Four were recorded at Berlin's Teldex Studios, and one, the Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52 ("Hymn of Praise"), was a live performance; all are sonically very strong. The Kammerakademie Potsdam may seem both rough and underpowered for those whose point of reference for these works is the London Philharmonic, but these recordings have been successful because they have added fresh outlooks to these well-worn pieces. As the name suggests, the Kammerakademie Potsdam is a small group of about 40 players, rightly varying according to the individual piece. There are some historical instruments; the horns used are natural or keyed, depending on the work as this instrument evolved rapidly over Mendelssohn's career, and Manacorda deploys his instruments in new ways. Throughout, he emphasizes the lower parts. This tends to steer away from Mendelssohn's ever-attractive tunes and toward his structural thinking, which often shows him wrestling with the legacy of Beethoven. Listen to the finale of the Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 ("Scottish"), where the resolution to A major at the end is taken quickly and in a grand sweep rather than luxuriating in the triumphal melody. Try the tarantella finale of the Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ("Italian"), as well; it doesn't have the catchy lilt so often associated with this piece, but it hangs together. The recording of the Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11, is exceptionally good, clearly placing the work in the mature set of symphonies rather than with the set of 12 string symphonies that preceded it. Listeners will find things they like and things they don't, but these will vary according to the individual, and that suggests longevity for Manacorda's recordings.
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