Mendelssohn: Symphonies No. 1 & 4

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton

“From the hushed polyphony of the slow introduction [of the First]...to a truly exultant finale, Litton and his spruce Bergen orchestra banish any hint of turgidity. Tempo and character are acutely judged...Litton's Scottish likewise combines verve, textual clarity and a vivid sense of atmosphere.” --Gramophone Magazine, June 2010

“…one of the most enjoyable discs I've listened to in a long time… Litton, for my money, gets it right every time. He… makes clear distinctions between fast and slow: in the Italian Symphony, the first movement goes like the wind, though with no sense of undue haste, while the third movement still retains the grace and dignity of the minuet from which it derives.

How good, too, to come across a conductor who is not afraid to make his orchestra play pianississimo! ...one of the most delicious moments comes near the start of the second movement of the Italian Symphony where the strings are joined by the two flutes, both vibrato-free. At the other extreme, the C major coda of this movement lifts you out of your seat.” --BBC Music Magazine, February 2010 *****