MENDELSSOHN - Bis

into each other, how ever, that the passive nature of the orchestral contribution
does not affect the overall impres sion. Mozart’s place as a role model has here
been usurped by virtuosos like Weber, Kalk brenner and Moscheles. Mendels -
sohn’s identity is revealed in particular by the melodic line, the imaginative har -
mony and the con trasts between movements. Especially in the first move ment
there are series of scales and figurations of varying levels of difficulty. The tri -
partite Lied form of the second movement is dominated by an idyllic mood in a
manner which anticip ates the Songs Without Words. In the finale Mendelssohn
experiments with fugal ele ments as an ingredient in the sonata form – a break
with tradition which indicates his brilliantly sympathetic attitude.
Adapted from a text by Stig Jacobsson, © 1995
The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra dates back to 1765 and is thus one of the
world’s oldest orchestras. Edvard Grieg had a close relationship with the orch es -
tra and was its artistic director during the years 1880–82. In 2003 Andrew Litton,
cur rently music director of the orchestra, was appointed chief conductor. The
Spanish conductor Juanjo Mena is engaged as principal guest conductor and
Halldis Rønning as assistant conductor. Under Litton’s direction the orch es tra has
been in creasing its international activities by means of touring, com mis sions and
record ing projects. The orchestra, one of two Norwegian National Orchestras,
consists of 98 play ers. Touring regularly, it has during the last few seasons per -
formed in the Concert gebouw, Royal Albert Hall (Proms 2007), the Vienna Musik -
verein and Konzert haus, the Gasteig Philharmonie in Munich, Carnegie Hall in
New York and the Philharmonie in Berlin. The orchestra records exten sively for
BIS.
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