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Jordi Savall has has gone above and beyond for this work. In addition to the music composed by Mendelssohn for orchestra, choir and soloists, this set offers the melodramas with the spoken parts, showing how Shakespeare's text is enhanced by Mendelson's music. Also included is an abridged version of the play, allowing you to follow along with the plot. The texts are declaimed and sung in both English (disc one) and German (disc two), since the work was created in Germany. Nevertheless, for those listeners who wish to hear only the music without spoken texts, discs three and four offer the program in a 'concert version'.