Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 "Lobgesang"

Following their acclaimed cycle of the Beethoven symphonies for Challenge Classics, conductor Jan Willem de Vriend and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra are now recording the five symphonies of Felix Mendelssohn, beginning with one of the least well-known, the Symphony No. 2 'Hymn of Praise'.

The symphonies will be released on hybrid SACDs and the performances will incorporate instrumental techniques from Mendelssohn's own time. The fingerings and bowings for the edition employed here are by Ferdinand David, a friend of the composer and concert-master of the Gewandhaus Orchestra.

"Mendelssohn's Lobgesang is undoubtedly the greatest work that has proceeded from any German composer since Beethoven. It is great in plan, great in development, and masterly in detail." [From: Annual report - Sacred Harmonic Society London (1844)]. That the symphony was forgotten, despite such reviews, was largely due to unfavourable comparisons with Beethoven's Ninth, and the large vocal portion of the work. But de Vriend and his orchestra believe fully in its qualities and give an insightful performance which could well lead to its revaluation.

Artistic director of Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Jan Willem de Vriend has, since 2006, also been the chief conductor and artistic director of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. De Vriend has been a guest conductor with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hague Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Personnel: Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Jan Willem de Vriend (conductor), Machteld Baumans (soprano), Judith van Wanrooij (soprano), Patrick Henckens (tenor)