Bernstein Conducts Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, "Italian" (1/4)

[CrotalusAtrox501]

When I listened this the first time (life in a wonderful theatre, with wonderful people with me) I fell in love with the Italian Symphony...Not 5 stars, but 50. Great version.

[44478129102734]

Thank you for uploading all 4 movements.

[Callistogirl1]

This is from a Barbie movie. Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses. It is a very cool movie and this music fits it perfectly.

[2008Gabyzinha2008]

Great recording , in terms of sound, for 1953!

[katoppie]

I would NOT want to be a wind player in this recording. Those parts are hard without it racing by.

Deadly energy though. There is a reason why Bernstein is the man :)

[MikeDrewYT]

There should be a contrast between this movt and the Saltarello. This movement should be distinct in every piece of every triplet, while the Saltarello should simply move in beat-units with the triplet subdivisions being nearly ornamental. It nearly moves in 1 (with four triplets per beat, or at least two if taken in two), while this movement is clearly in four.

[Lukecash12]

Personally, I prefer the large scale classic period symphonies done HIP. But I think this orchestra possessed more balance in this performance than a lot of other attempts done without period instruments and techniques.

[j72050]

....I prefer the Toscanini version, but about 1963 I heard this Bernstein version, and had to buy it immediately.....I was a youngster then....

[youlittlewanker]

Excellent twine for soup :-)

[jeffamarie]

I WISH you could bottle up what's in the first few bars of this piece... and let it loose forever.

[louiseduvee]

Best on You Tube! I've listened to 4 other recordings before I found this! Brilliant! Thanks ~

L:D

[harpsichordRB]

Great Mendelssohn, Great Bernstein!!!

FANTASTIC!

Thank you for posting.

[TheStinkyTofu]

This piece is so catchy. It is also in my opinion one of the greatest pieces ever written. I LOVE IT

[quelitasbuenas]

I believe the correct recording year is 1958

[carke66]

I have listened to 23 *yes 23 i have no life * youtubes of this and this is this the BEST

[SAKKISAXX]

at 9:25 there is a strange noise, as if somethings falling down ... well it REALLY does no harm to this wonderpul piece of music ... but anyways, that's YOUTUBE ;-)

[evifnoskcaj]

It only makes sense to take this piece at a faster paced speed. Mendelssohn was incredibly excited when he wrote this piece after arriving in Italy. To give further example, here's a direct quote: The Italian symphony is making great progress. It will be the jolliest piece I have ever done, especially the last movement. I have not found anything for the slow movement yet, and I think that I will save that for Naples.

[JTmusicguy]

Yeah he totally slowed things down because he liked to hear every note. But this is fast. As it should be; I can't really imagine slow tarantelle. :P

[Sinfoniette]

Listen to Masur's... it is probably the slowest I would accept. Masur doesn't give the excitement given in the Bernstein, nor the tarantelle feel. But he makes it sound a bit more pastoral, a bit calmer, like a farmer. That is what I used to think the Italian as, but now I think the fast renditions are true to the score and obviously, more wilder.

[JTmusicguy]

Yeah I like the tarantella when it's fast! I'm Italian and I'm used to the types of music from Italy...so it's kind of hard to imagine many Neapolitan or Sicilian folk songs, like the tarantella, that are slowed quite a bit! Unless they happen to be the depressing songs...like the second mvmt!

But then again, I like Masur's version! Even though it's slightly slower it has that Southern Italian feel to it. haha.

[Sinfoniette]

There are more famous, and I think better renditions of this Italian though. I think Karajan, Klemperer, and my favorite, Toscanini, is great. Have you heard them or others?

[tetrisclock]

Karajan always conducts the best renditions.

[gezunder]

@Sinfoniette I had that Toscanini version years ago. Really excellent, sadly now lost.

[al1936ful]

@JTmusicguy There's a tarantella near the end of "The Nutcracker", and in the Baryshnikov version it's played slower than usual.

[ilfocohadaardere]

great!bellissima esecuzione

[plouw09]

This is fast for Bernstein.

But very well done.

[Sinfoniette]

Its fast, but is it fast for Bernstien?

[MKDAWUSS]

I thought Bernstein was known for slowing things down a notch - and that's probably where his premise comes from

[etucker82]

He was slow towards the end of his career, but this is towards the beginning. For most of his career, the rule for Bernstein was that he took fast music faster and slow music slower.