Composer Felix Mendelssohn's reputation fluctuates wildly according to the musical fashions of the moment. Some critics have found it convenient to overlook Mendelssohn's immense talents, falsely dismissing his music as sentimental, shallow, or overly Romantic. But these judgments, which have their origins in the endemic anti-Semitism of the mid-19th century, just don't hold up upon careful study of works like his Symphony No. 4, the "Italian." This is music that is thoughtfully conceived and deeply meaningful. Actually, Mendelssohn wrote 13 symphonies as a juvenile before tackling the form as an adult, but only the later works were counted when the numbers were being handed out. The "Italian" was written after a tour of Italy, and, like the "Scottish" Symphony, it is highly evocative of the country and culture it describes.