A Mendelssohn Portrait - 40 Cds + Cd Rom

Conductors: Frans Brüggen, Stephen Gunzenhauser, Jos van Immerseel, Lev Markiz, Arnold Östman, Helmuth Rilling, Edo de Waart
String Quartets: English String Quartet, Sharon Quartet, Bartók Quartet
Piano: Derek Han, Frank Van De Laar
Orchestras: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Kamerorkest, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart

One of the most extraordinarily gifted of all the great composers, Mendelssohn is often underestimated today. Born into a wealthy banking family, he does not fit the picture we like to imagine of the struggling artist. Does this make his music less profound? Not at all.
This 40CD set includes all his major orchestral works, including the 5 symphonies, the evergreen violin concerto in E minor, the music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Elijah, the First Piano Trio, Octet, Songs without Words and a selection of his Lieder.
Also included are the early concertos, both mature piano concertos, the string symphonies, the oratorio 'Paulus', all the sonatas, trios, string quartets and chamber music, motets, cantatas, Psalm settings -- providing the listener with probably the most comprehensive collection of Mendelssohn's music ever compiled.
Recordings include artists Franz Bruggen, Edo de Waart, Arnold Ostman, Helmut Rilling, Christine Schäfer, Christoph Eschenbach, Dietrich Fischer- Dieskau, Michael Schade and Wolfgang Schöne.
Further information:
A unique and comprehensive look at Mendelssohn's genius, including all his well known works and many lesser known pieces.
All sung texts and notes are included on a CD-ROM.
A DVD, 'Requiem for Fanny': Mendelssohn's life in dance is included in NTSC and PAL versions.
He (Rilling) brings out arrestingly the drama of the piece, turning it into a well-varied, exciting quasi-opera....we have to thank Rilling's disciplined chorus, as biting in diction, precise and convincing in attack....In general, every strand of the complex writing for chorus is made clear yet the overall effect is one of spontaneous combustion. The orchestral playing is no less arresting. It really is very special.' Gramophone 1995 reviewing Elias.
I would now transfer my allegiance to Rilling because he is in every department save one....the equal of, or better than Masur's. Schmidt excels himself. Banse sings her recitatives and solos with notable beauty of tone, equalling Masur's Janowitz. Schade is an artist of the utmost refinement and intelligence' Gramophone 1996 reviewing Paulus.

Price: $99.98