Martin Schmeding - Mendelssohn: Complete Organ Works Vol. 2 (2008) [SACD]

Unlike his contemporaries Schumann and Brahms, who were also interested in the organ, Felix Mendelssohn had at least occasionally had lessons on the instrument starting in his early youth, and later even performed as a celebrated concert organist. He gained a remarkable reputation for it, not least in England, where it led to the composition of the cycles Op. 37 and 65. For the current recordings made in Essen and Bockenem, the pieces selected to go with the preludes and fugues and the sonatas are from the composer's mature period from c. 1827 and do not include sketches or material used in later pieces. Those earlier versions together with Mendelssohn Bartholdy's youth works would be a subject for another recording. As the organist of the Dresden Kreuzkirche from 2002 until 2004, Martin Schmeding worked in one of the most important cities for church music in Germany. After teaching positions in Hanover, Leipzig, Weimar and Dresden, he was appointed professor of organ at the Freiburg University of Music in 2004.

Tracks:

1. Praeludium c-Moll Op. 37,1
2. Fuge c-Moll Op. 37,1
3. Praeludium G-Dur Op. 37,2
4. Fuge G-Dur Op. 37,2
5. Praeludium d-Moll Op. 37,3
6. Fuge d-Moll Op. 37,3
7. Andante (Trio) F-Dur (1844)
8. Fughetta (Allegro moderato) A-Dur (1827/1842)
9. Allegro B-Dur (1844)
10. Fuge (Lento) f-Moll (1839)
Sonate D-Dur Op. 65,5
11. Andante
12. Andante con moto
13. Allegro maestoso
14. Allegro d-Moll (1844)
15. Fuge e-Moll (1839)
16. Allegro con brio
17. Andante religioso
18. Allegretto
19. Allegro maestoso e vivace