Felix Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Incidental Music; Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Buy Blas Overture—Saleem Ashkar, piano; Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly (Decca 4810778)
Riccardo Chailly is the new musical director at La Scala in Milan, but he retains the post of Kapellmeister at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. And in that position, he is a successor to Felix Mendelssohn, who held the same job in Leipzig from 1835 until his death in 1847. The cornerstone of this album is one of Mendelssohn’s best known works, the music for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and five instrumental pieces from the incidental music are here. The two Piano Concertos are played by Saleem Ashkar, the Israel-Palestinian artist, who has performed the First Concerto with Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig and on tour. The album also includes the world premiere recording of the Ruy Blas Overture in Christopher Hogwood’s critical edition.
Featured Mon 8/4, Wed 8/13, Fri 8/22
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
