Sir John Eliot Gardiner's riveting survey of Mendelssohn's orchestral works with the London Symphony Orchestra (the 5 Symphonies, Overtures and the Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream) has yielded some of the most compelling releases on the LSO Live label in the past few years. It now reaches a triumphant conclusion with this magisterial account of the Symphony No. 2 (Lobesgesang) taken from two concerts at the Barbican given on 16th and 20th of October 2016.

Presented as a two-disc package that includes not only a hybrid SACD (2.0 stereo and 5.1 multi-channel mixes) but also a Pure Audio Blu-ray disc (5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio 24 bit / 192 kHz & 2.0 LPCM 24 bit / 192 kHz). The latter also contains downloadable digital files. With a Blu-ray player connected to a home network, users can access the player via a web browser and using the mShuttle technology provided, download the files from the Blu-ray disc to a home computer. The digital file formats provided on this disc are: Stereo files in DSD / 24 bit 96 kHZ FLAC / 16 bit 44.1 kHz and WAV 320 kbps MP3. Full texts in German and English are included in the liner notes.

Each of the opening three movements of the orchestral Sinfonia that open the work are beautifully paced by Gardiner. The first marked 'Maestoso con moto' is celebratory but never over exuberant thanks to Gardiner's careful shaping and firm control of the musical discourse. The second – a swift waltz – is played with a lightness and delicacy that typifies the excellence of the LSO players, while the conductor ensures that the moving and richly melodic 'Adagio religioso' that follows is free of any trace of saccharine sentimentality. Gardiner's characteristic antiphonal seating of the violins (playing with little or no vibrato) adds to the overall clarity of the textures.

The remaining two thirds of Mendelssohn's Symphony-Cantata introduces the chorus and three soloists (two sopranos and a tenor). It is here that Gardiner has his trump card – the wonderful Monteverdi Choir – whose contribution is in all respects quite outstanding. The security of intonation, crisp attack and superb diction of this 44 strong chorus are always in evidence, whether in the 'a capella' first statement of the Lutheran chorale 'Nun danket alle Gott' (Tr.12) or the blazing final fugue (Tr. 15). There is little doubt that this committed choir is able to deliver with ease both the weight and power of a larger chorus and the clarity and accuracy of a smaller one.

Gardiner is equally fortunate in his fine line-up of chosen soloists. The pure and silvery voices of Lucy Crowe and Jurgita Adamonyté blend beguilingly in the duet 'Ich harrete des Herrn' (Tr. 9) bringing an ethereal quality and sense of blissful repose to this enchanting devotional movement.
The tenor Michael Spyres is particularly impressive; singing with great sensitivity and unforced tone. His excellent diction and feeling for the words allows him to express a wide range of emotions, while his voice has the necessary heft to make the repeated question 'Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin?' (Tr. 10) a memorable moment of spine-tingling drama.

The team from Classic Sound Ltd. have ensured that the recording (DSD 128fs) does full justice to the performance and those who have one or more of the four earlier issues will need little urging to acquire this splendid release.

Sir John has confessed that he had never conducted this work before, which may be why his new found enthusiasm for it – clearly communicated to the ever responsive LSO – has yielded such a powerful and uplifting account of one Mendelssohn's most striking and original compositions.

Highly recommended.

Copyright © 2017 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

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