FULL Lobgesang (Mendelssohn) Leipzig 2005 Chailly Schwanewilms Seiffert Schnitzer
Popular Singers in this Opera Recording
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Lobgesang
- Composer: Mendelssohn Felix
- Libretto: based on Bible texts
- Venue & Opera Company: Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany
- Recorded: 2005
- Type: Concert Live
- Singers: Anne Schwanewilms, Petra-Maria Schnitzer, Peter Seiffert
- Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
- Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester
- Chorus: Gewandhauschor, Chor der Oper Leipzig
- Stage Director:
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: DW
- Date Published: 2005
- Format: Broadcast
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
I. Sinfonia:
(00:36) 1. Con moto maestoso – Allegro vivace
(11:12) 2. Allegretto un poco agitato
(17:24) 3. Adagio religioso
(24:09) II. Chorus: Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn (Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord)
(28:33) III. Soprano Solo and Semi-Chorus: Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele (Praise the Lord, O my soul)
(31:00) IV. Tenor Recitative: Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid von dem Herrn (Let the redeemed of the Lord say so)
(31:50) V. Chorus: Saget es, die ihr erlöset seid (Let those who were redeemed of the Lord say so)
(33:50) VI. Soprano Duet and Chorus: Ich harrete des Herrn (I waited on the Lord)
(39:02) VII. Tenor Aria: Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen (The chains of death bound me)
(41:10) VIII. Chorus: Die Nacht ist vergangen (The night is past)
(45:56) IX. Chorale: Nun danket alle Gott (Give thanks unto the Lord)
(49:28) X. Tenor Aria: Drum singe ich mit meinem Liede ewig dein Lob (Therefore will I sing my song in thy praise for ever)
(52:17) XI. Chorus: Ihr Völker, bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht (Ye people, give honour and glory to the Lord)
With Lobgesang, Felix Mendelssohn created the new genre of the choral symphony – a hybrid between symphony and cantata. Great symphonic works with choral and solo singing had existed previously – with Beethoven’s ninth symphony as the most famous example – but Mendelssohn’s excursion within this hybrid form was a novum. The first movement is a sinfonia in which three symphonic movements are married together, unbroken. The fourth movement of the symphony is a cantata, itself consisting of ten individual movements for an array of vocal groupings.
The symphonic cantata is held together thematically by the titular praise to God. Mendelssohn composed his chorale based upon the verse of Psalm 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” – which serves as a kind of leitmotif for the work. At the opening of the monumental piece, the chorale is played by the trombones, after which the orchestra takes it up, developing the theme across the symphonic movements. Finally, the biblical text arrives as song in the corresponding cantata section.