Zürcher Sing-Akademie ; Musikkollegium Winterthur
Description
The heathen inhabitants of the Brocken are ordered to come armed with pitchforks in "Kommt mit Zacken und mit Gabeln" and to give Christian missionaries a good fright in the riotous howling of the "Rundgeheule".
The young Mendelssohn set Goethe's highly allusive ballad as a furious tone painting situated between the symphony and the choral ballad and magnificently bringing out the fine humor of this German Prince of Poets.
Along with three concert overtures, "The First Walpurgis Night" now concludes the Musikkollegium Winterthur's highly acclaimed MDG Mendelssohn cycle under its principal conductor Douglas Boyd.
"The First Walpurgis Night" is a highly topical argument in favor of religious tolerance; the soloists and Singakademie of Zurich seem to have splendid fun with this opulent musical magic!
While Mendelssohn valued Goethe's poetry above all other literary forms, he picked apart Victor Hugo's tragedy Ruy Blas. However, this did not stop him from composing an overture to it for a charitable cause and in response to an urgent request. For a repeat performance he perhaps only half in jest entitled it "Overture for the Theater Pension Fund" instead of using the original name.
Tracklisting
Cologne Chamber Choir, Collegium Cartusianum, Peter Neumann
Stephen Marchionda
Christian Euler, Paul Rivinius
Caterva Musica, Erdal Akkaya
Leipzig String Quartet
Andrzej Szadejko, Agnieszka Budzinska-Bennett, Cracow Singers
Lea Suter
Wolfgang Sawallisch, Leopolder-Quartett, Munchner Klaviertrio
Laurence Perkins
St. Florianer Sangerknaben; Ars Antiqua Austria; Gunar Letzbor
Arte Minima; Pedro Sousa Silva
La Colombina; Schola Antiqua
Capricornus Consort Basel
Ensemble Diderot, Johannes Pramsohler
Enno Poppe, Klangforum Wien, PHACE, Nacho de Paz, Pierre Roullier, Ensemble Diagonal, Rut Schereine
Peter Rundel, Wiener Symphoniker, Wolfgang Kogert
