Mendelssohn’s contemporaries frequently mentioned his “Hymn of Praise” in the same breath as Beethoven’s Ninth – and often enough viewed it as an imitation. Mendelssohn authority John Michael Cooper, in his extensive Introduction to this new Urtext edition, shows that the comparison is completely unfounded: with this work Mendelssohn created a new genre to which he gave the name “symphony-cantata”. Later he added a secular counterpart with “Die Erste Walpurgisnacht”.

Drawing on all relevant sources, Cooper provides a detailed account of the genesis and structure of this monumental work. Rounding off his scholarly performing edition are notes on the work’s performance, e.g. tempo, articulation and dynamics.

For the first time the piano reduction includes Mendelssohn’s authorised version of the “Sinfonia”, based on the first edition of No. 1 for piano solo.