Richard Wagner, a German composer, is blamed for a large part of the negative reception of Mendelssohn's music due to his anti-Semitic writings.
Interpretation
For this recording, Yannick Nézet-Séguin chose the Christopher Hogwood edition of the 'Reformation' Symphony, which reinstates cuts Mendelssohn made after its 1832 premiere.
Compositional Technique
Mendelssohn's symphonies, according to Yannick Nézet-Séguin, reveal a "stupendous command of counterpoint" and a striving for "maximum clarity."
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn wrote 13 string symphonies in his youth before composing five symphonies for full orchestra.
Compositional Technique
Mendelssohn subtly interwove separate movements in his 'Reformation' Symphony using an 'Amen' motif, a device he later modified for his 'symphony-cantata' Lobgesang (Symphony No. 2).
Critical Reception
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin argues that Mendelssohn's compositional facility damaged his reputation, leading him to be unfairly called superficial.
Critical Reception
Only three of Mendelssohn's five symphonies for full orchestra were published during his lifetime; the 'Reformation' and 'Italian' symphonies were published posthumously.
