Comme le soulignait si justement le musicologue Jean-Alexandre Ménétrier : "La musique religieuse de Mendelssohn, qui représente de loin la partie la plus importante de son œuvre, est avant tout le reflet d’une foi profonde et sincère. Dès l’enfance Mendelssohn fut profondément chrétien - chrétien dans sa croyance, ses œuvres, sa pratique de la justice et de la charité. Schumann, qui le connaissait intimement, fut frappé par sa piété et constata qu’avant de commencer la composition d’une œuvre musicale, Mendelssohn inscrivait toujours en haut de la page H.d.m. ("Hilf Du mir", "veux-tu m’aider ?") ou L.e.G. ("Lass es gelingen Gott", "Que Dieu réussisse"), invoquant l’aide divine à la manière de Bach". Le SACD proposé par le label Pentatone se penche sur les Psaumes et les Motets à cappella avec, notamment les "Trois Psaumes Motets" Op.78 et les "Trois Motets" Op.69. Dans un souffle, à la respiration généreuse, le Chœur de la Radio de Leipzig magnifie ces pages admirables que Philipp Ahmann dirige de mains de maître. Là aussi le multicanal s’impose. A écouter sans tarder.
Jean-Jacques Millo As the musicologist Jean-Alexandre Ménétrier quite rightly remarked: “Mendelssohn’s religious music, which represents by far the most important part of his output, is most of all the reflection of his deep and sincere faith. From birth Mendelssohn was profoundly Christian – Christian in his beliefs, his works, his practice of justice and charity. Schumann, who knew him intimately, was struck by his piety and observed that before beginning composing a musical work, Mendelssohn always inscribed at the top of the page H.d.m. (“Hilf Du mir,” will you help me?”) or L.e.G. (“Lass es gelingen Gott,” “May God succeed”), invoking divine help as Bach did.” The SACD proposed by the label Penatone covers the a cappella Psalms and Motets with most notably the “Three Psalms Motet” Op.78 and the “Three Motets” Op.69. Its heart in its mouth, the Leipzig Radio Chorus breathtakingly magnifies these admirable pages that Philipp Ahmann masterfully conducts. Here is a disc which needs to be listened to in multichannel. Run, don’t walk, to procure it.
Translation Lawrence Schulman | 
