The Land of Art
Donald Macleod explores how the sights and sounds of Italy stimulated Mendelssohn's creative mind. With Rondo capriccioso, Op 14; Ferne, Op 9 No 9; Surrexit pastor bonus, Op 39.
The sights and sounds of Italy stimulate Mendelssohn's creative mind. Including part of the Italian Symphony and Surrexit pastor bonus.
Few of us can readily lay claim to the descriptions polymath and polyglot. Felix Mendelssohn could. A child prodigy, likened by his contemporaries to Mozart, he was an accomplished composer, performer, conductor and musicologist. Beyond music, Mendelssohn was extremely knowledgeable about poetry, classical studies, theology, languages, painting and drawing. Indeed, he enjoyed art so much he continued to produce sketches, drawings and paintings as a pastime almost to the very end of his life. While he died aged only 38 in 1847, in addition to manuscripts, a considerable collection of his artwork has been preserved.
The biggest collection of Mendelssohn's biographical archive resides in the University of Oxford's Bodleian Libraries. This week, with Mendelssohn expert Peter Ward Jones as his guide, Donald Macleod opens up Mendelssohn's sketchbooks to find out what captured the composer's imagination alongside music.
Today, we join Mendelssohn in 1830-31 on the Italian leg of his Grand Tour. His itinerary included plenty of time for a romantic encounter, and soaking up art treasures and sketching, so much so that he seems to have done rather more drawing and painting than composing. Presented by Donald Macleod.
You can see sketches and drawings featured in this week's programme on the Radio 3 website.
Rondo capriccioso, Op 14
Howard Shelley, piano
Ferne, Op 9 No 9
Sophie Daneman, soprano
Eugene Asti, piano
Surrexit pastor bonus, Op 39
Stuttgart Chamber Choir
Frieder Bernius, conductor
Sontraud Engels-Benz, organ
Piano Concerto in G minor, Op 25
Ronald Brautigam, piano
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Lev Markiz, conductor.
Last on
Music Played
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Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony no. 4 in A major Op.90 (Italian)
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner. -
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Felix Mendelssohn
Rondo capriccioso Op14
Performer: Howard Shelley.- HYPERION : CDA-68059.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony no. 4 in A major Op.90 (Italian) - 4th movement; Saltarello (Presto)
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- Chandos: CHSA 5132.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Rondo capriccioso
Performer: Howard Shelley.- HYPERION : CDA-68059.
- HYPERION.
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Felix Mendelssohn
12 Songs Op.9 - no.9; Ferne
Performer: Eugene Asti. Singer: Sophie Daneman. -
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Felix Mendelssohn
Ferne - Far away
Performer: Eugene Asti. Singer: Sophie Daneman. -
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Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 4 in A Major Op.90 (Italian) - Allegro vivace
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- CHANDOS : CHSA 5132.
- CHANDOS.
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Felix Mendelssohn
1st movement; Allegro vivace - Symphony no. 4
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- CHANDOS : CHSA 5132.
- CHANDOS.
- 9.
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Felix Mendelssohn
3 Motets Op 39 - O Lord, thou hast searched me out (Surrexit Pastor)
Choir: Kammerchor Stuttgart. Conductor: Frieder Bernius.- CARUS:83206.
- CARUS.
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Felix Mendelssohn
O Lord, thou hast searched me out (Surrexit Pastor)
Performer: Sontraud Engels-Benz. Choir: Kammerchor Stuttgart. Conductor: Frieder Bernius. -
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Felix Mendelssohn
Concerto no. 1 in G minor Op 25
Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Conductor: Lev Markiz.- BIS: 2002.
- BIS.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Piano Concerto no. 1 in G minor Op.25
Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Ulster Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Watkins.
Broadcasts
- Wed 24 Aug 2016 18:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Wed 4 Oct 2017 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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