Yes, I really like Mendelssohn (this is already my 5th blog entry on him). His works are unfortunately still underrated by many.
And his Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words) are truly among my favorite works, quite simple if you listen superficially, but so much beauty and detail can be found in there.
I’ve spoken very highly of the first volume of the Lieder ohne Worte by Ronald Brautigam.
Recently, he has released the second volume, the books 5-8 of these now complete recordings of these beautiful musical poems.
Mendelssohn: Lieder Ohne Worte books 5-8 – Ronald Brautigam (BIS 2016)
If, like me, you liked the first edition of the books 1-4, this is a clear must have.
It is again played on a contemporary copy by Paul McNulty of a Pleyel piano from the 1830s, with a beautiful mellow sound, which I’ve already praised in my previous review.
The booklet is also very much worth checking out, not only for getting a picture of the instrument being used on p. 30. Horst A. Scholz really does an excellent job in describing the individual pieces. Given that eclassical offers the booklets for free, I highly suggest you have a look.
In short: if you like Chopin or Schumann, and are curious about the sound of a piano the way Mendelssohn may have heard and played it, go for it!
My rating: 4 stars (although the more I listen to it, the closer this fortepiano recording gets to the 5 stars I gave to Perianes modern piano version).
You can find it here (eclassical) and here (Prestoclassical)
Update December 28,2016: In their December issue, Classica agrees and gives this album a 4 star rating.
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