Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 ‘Reformation’; Ruy Blas; Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage – London Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the London Symphony Orchestra join forces once again in the latest instalment of their exploration of Mendelssohn’s symphonies.

Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, commonly known as the ‘Reformation’ Symphony, was written in 1830 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg confession – a seminal event in the Protestant Reformation. Allusions to the symphony’s title and inspiration can be heard throughout the music itself; the ‘Dresden Amen’ is cited by the strings in the first movement whilst the finale is based on Martin Luther’s well-known chorale ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott’ (A Mighty Fortress is Our God). Complementing the symphony are two of Mendelssohn’s overtures, Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and Ruy Blas, both of which were inspired by literary works. The former, based on two short poems by Goethe, depicts the journey of sailors at sea, a still Adagio opening ultimately giving way to a triumphant homecoming. Ruy Blas was commissioned by the Leipzig Theatre as an overture to Victor Hugo’s tragic drama of the same name.