Mendelssohn: Choral Works MDR Leipzig Radio Choir & Philipp Ahmann

• Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847): Psalm 100:
• 1Mendelssohn: Psalm 100: "Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt", MWV B. 4504:21
• 3 Psalms, Op. 78:
• 2Mendelssohn: 3 Psalms, Op. 78: No. 1, Psalm 2 "Warum toben die Heiden", MWV B. 41 (Revised Version)07:01
• 3Mendelssohn: 3 Psalms, Op. 78: No. 2, Psalm 43 "Richte mich, Gott", MW B. 46 (revised version)04:21
• 4Mendelssohn: 3 Psalms, Op. 78: No. 3, Psalm 22 "Mein Gott, warum hast Du mich verlassen", MWV B. 5108:02
• 2 Sacred Choruses, Op. 115:
• 5Mendelssohn: 2 Sacred Choruses, Op. 115: No. 1, Beati mortui03:09
• 6Mendelssohn: 2 Sacred Choruses, Op. 115: No. 2, Periti autem02:26
• Missa brevis, MWV B. 57 "Die deutsche Liturgie":
• 7Mendelssohn: Missa brevis, MWV B. 57 "Die deutsche Liturgie": No. 3, Kyrie01:19
• 8Mendelssohn: Missa brevis, MWV B. 57 "Die deutsche Liturgie": No. 4, Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe04:09
• 9Mendelssohn: Missa brevis, MWV B. 57 "Die deutsche Liturgie": No. 10, Heilig01:45
• Zum Abendsegen "Herr, sei gnadig", MWV B. 12:
• 10Mendelssohn: Zum Abendsegen "Herr, sei gnadig", MWV B. 1202:31
• Elias, Op. 70:
• 11Mendelssohn: Elias, Op. 70: Hebe deine Augen auf01:57
• Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen über dir, MWV B. 53:
• 12Mendelssohn: Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen über dir, MWV B. 5303:29
• 3 Motets, Op. 69:
• 13Mendelssohn: 3 Motets, Op. 69: No. 1, Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren fahren05:05
• 14Mendelssohn: 3 Motets, Op. 69: No. 2, Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt05:40
• 15Mendelssohn: 3 Motets, Op. 69: No. 3, Mein Herz erhebet Gott, den Herrn10:03
• Heilig, MWV B. 47:
• 16Mendelssohn: Heilig, MWV B. 4702:07
• Total Runtime01:07:25

Info for Mendelssohn: Choral Works

The MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and its artistic director Philipp Ahmann present a collection of Felix Mendelssohn's choral music, which arguably represents the pinnacle of German nineteenth-century religious music. Ranging across psalm settings, motets, Latin verses, the Deutsche Liturgie as well as the ethereal chorus Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen, which was later adapted and incorporated into his oratorio Elijah, the album highlights the unique stylistic range and expressive power of Mendelssohn's choral output. A unique addition to the programme is the world premiere recording of Heilig, MWV 47. The music on this album seamlessly integrates stylistic traits of Palestrina and Bach, remnants of Jewish cantor practices, as well as the Romanticism of Mendelssohn's time. Generally considered one of the best choirs in the German speaking world, the singers of the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir are proficient in this repertoire, written by a local musical giant whose music is deeply ingrained into the cultural soil of their city.

The MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and its artistic director Philipp Ahmann return to Pentatone with this a cappella album following their acclaimed recording of motets by

Anton Bruckner and Michael Haydn (2021). The choir has also taken part in a Pentatone release of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis (2017), as well as numerous opera recordings released by the label.

MDR Leipzig Radio Choir
Philipp Ahmann, conductor

Philipp Ahmann
Following a long-time as well as fruitful collaboration, Philipp Ahmann has become Chief Conductor of Leipzig's MDR Radio Choir in January 2020.

From 2008 to 2018, he was chief conductor of the NDR Radio Choir in Hamburg and, in addition, led prestigious orchestras specialising on "early music" and ensembles for "New Music", including the AKAMUS Berlin, B'Rock, Bell'arte Salzburg, Concerto con Anima, Concerto Köln, Le Concert Lorrain, the Elbipolis Barock Orchestra Hamburg, Holland Baroque and the Nederlandse Bachvereniging, Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, Ensemble Resonanz, Fabergé-Quintett, Gürzenich-Orchester Cologne, MDR Sinfonieorchester and NDR Radiophilharmonie, as well as the Rundfunkchor Berlin, Dutch Radio Choir, WDR Rundfunkchor, SWR Vokalensemble and RIAS Kammerchor. Productions with the Bigband "Spielvereinigung Sued", NDR Bigband and the NDR Brass bear witness to the conductor's versatility.

Philipp Ahmann has been acclaimed not only for exploring a cappella repertoire from every musical period but also for his interpretation of oratorio works of oratorio works ranging from Baroque to contemporary. His vast repertoire encompasses besides numerous works by Bach, Handel, and Telemann as well as works of the French, Italian and Salzburg Baroque, the key works of the Viennese Classic and the romantic period, such as Haydn's "The Seasons", Mendelssohn's "Paulus" and "Elijah", Mozart's "Requiem" as well as Berlioz' "L'enfance du Christ", and, furthermore, many works of the modern era.

In August 2019, Philipp Ahmann made his successful debut at the Ópera Nacional de Chile in Santiago with a staged production of Handel's Rodelinda.

He has been a guest at renowned festivals such as Rheingau Music Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, the International Handel Festival Göttingen and Handel Festival Halle.

Numerous CDs recorded with the MDR Rundfunkchor and the NDR Choir gained enthusiastic critical acclaim.

Born in 1974, Philipp Ahmann studied with Marcus Creed in Cologne and gained further artistic impulses by Frieder Bernius, Peter Neumann and Robin Gritton, as well as due to collaborations with renowned conductors, such as Gerd Albrecht, Alain Altinoglu, Semyon Bychkov, Dennis Russell Davies, Christoph von Dohnányi, Peter Eötvös, Christoph Eschenbach, Thomas Hengelbrock, Heinz Holliger, Marek Janowski, Wladimir Jurowski, Andrew Manze, Kent Nagano, Andris Nelsons, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Thielemann, and Lothar Zagrosek.

Booklet for Mendelssohn: Choral Works