Though the previous nine volumes of Frieder Bernius and the Kammerchor Stuttgart's recordings of the sacred music of Felix Mendelssohn have been consistently impressive with special high points at the two oratorios Paulus and Elias, this 10th volume may be the most impressive of all. Containing a single work, the symphony-cantata called Lobgesang (Song of Praise), it presents both the performers and the composer at their best. For Mendelssohn, the Lobgesang, with its opening three purely orchestral movements followed by ...
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Though the previous nine volumes of Frieder Bernius and the Kammerchor Stuttgart's recordings of the sacred music of Felix Mendelssohn have been consistently impressive with special high points at the two oratorios Paulus and Elias, this 10th volume may be the most impressive of all. Containing a single work, the symphony-cantata called Lobgesang (Song of Praise), it presents both the performers and the composer at their best. For Mendelssohn, the Lobgesang, with its opening three purely orchestral movements followed by nine concluding movements for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, was a combination of Beethoven's Ninth and a Bach cantata, and he rose to the occasion with some of his most magnificent sacred music. For Bernius and his forces, the Lobgesang is not only a great work, but a great under appreciated work and their passionately dedicated performance does its best to redress that imbalance. Joined by sopranos Christiane Karg and Maria Bernius plus tenor Werner Güra, the Stuttgart chorus...
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