Riccardo Chailly's choice of Mendelssohn for his inaugural concert as music director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra was not just a gracious tribute to the composer who was in charge of the orchestra from 1835 to 1846. Though not usually known for his performances of the early romantic repertoire, Chailly has made a previous recording of the Lobgesang, the symphonic cantata that was actually Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, in 1980, and which is now available at bargain price.
The earlier disc has better sound too, for the textures in this live version are muddied, especially when the soloists, chorus and orchestra are all involved. In both pieces there is enough evidence of genuinely characterful playing from the Gewandhaus orchestra to suggest their partnership with Chailly could develop very interestingly; this, though, is a rather muted start to it.
