Felix Mendelssohn & his sister Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
Documentary: The Birth of British Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1 hour)
Enhance your appreciation of the music of Felix Mendelssohn, one of the most
important composers of the early Romantic era and one of the first Jewish composers
of wide renown. A child prodigy, several of his teenage compositions are still in the
repertoire. In his short 38 year life, Mendelssohn produced many popular works in
all genres except opera. His older sister Fanny was also a talented composer.
Day 1
Introduction: Felix Mendelssohn Biography A list of Mendelssohn's compositions
Symphonies (order of composition: No. 1, No. 5., No. 4, No, 2, No. 3):
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 "Scottish" (begun 1829, premiered 1842)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Andres Orazco-Estrada, cond. (44 min) Play
Mendelssohn wrote this symphony over a 13 year period and it was the last one he finished. It is his
second most popular symphony.
Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 "Italian" (premiered 1833, rev. 1834)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi, cond. (31 min) Play
Mendelssohn's most popular symphony. He completed most of it on a trip to Italy and said it was "the
jolliest thing I have ever done, especially the last movement." It sounds like a cross between a Mozart
Symphony and a Beethoven symphony with distinctive Mendelssohn sounds.
Symphony No. 5 in D major/minor, Op. 107 "Reformation" (1830, premiered 1832)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jereme Rhorer, cond. (35 min) Play
Actually, Mendelssohn's 2nd symphony, he was never really satisfied with it and it wasn't
published until after his death. It is fairly popular today.
Overtures and Incidental Music:
Overture & Incidental Music to Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", opp. 21, 61 (overture 1826, full score 1842)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi, cond. (50 min) Play
Mendelssohn wrote the well known overture when he was seventeen. The incidental music for the play
was written at age 33 six years before his death. The incidental music has the famous "Wedding March".
While romantic in its sound, it is classical in its structure.
The Hebrides (Overture) in B minor for orchestra (a.k.a. Fingal's Cave), op. 26 (1830, rev. 1832)
London Symphony Orchestra, John Elliot Gardiner, cond. (10 min) Play
Concertos:
Violin Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 64 (1844) Joshua Bell, violin (28 min) Play
This is considered one of the five greatest violin concertos of all time. It has many innovations, most
notably the solo violin entering at the very beginning of the work and the three movements not being
separated by a break.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (1831) Yuja Wang, piano (19 min) Play
Although not as famous as the violin concerto, this is an excellent concerto. Its first movement is one
of Mendelssohn's stormiest. It shares the same two major innovations as the violin concerto.
Mendelssohn's second piano concerto isn't as highly regarded as this one.
Day 2
Chamber Music:
String Octet in E flat major, Op. 20 (1825 @ age 16)
Janine Jansen & Friends (33 min) Play
This work for eight string players was composed when Mendelssohn was 15 attests to Mendelssohn
being the child genius that Mozart was. it is one of the most popular chamber works of the 19th century.
String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 (1847) Schumann Quartet (30 min) Play
Written just a few months after his sister Fanny's death, it is the last major work Mendelssohn completed,
and his most popular string quartet.
Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58 (1842-43)
Natalia Gutman, cello & Viacheslav Poprugin, piano (25 min) Play
Although not considered a great cello sonata, it is very pleasurable to listen to.
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839
Joshua Bell, violin, Misha Maisky, cello, Evgeny Kissin, piano (31 min) Play
Mendelssohn's first piano trio is among the very best of the Romantic era. His second, although not
as popular, is also very good.
Solo Piano Music:
Variations Sérieuses (1841) Leonardo Colafelice, piano (13 min) Play
Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) (1829 - 1845)
Selections - live video - Viktoria Postnikova, piano (20 min) Play
Complete - audio only - Daniel Barenboim, piano (2 hours, 12 min) Play
Composed throughout his career, these highly romantic works in song format are his most popular
solo piano works.
Vocal Music:
Elijah (German: Elias) Op. 70 oratorio (1846)
Orchestre National de France, Daniele Gatti, cond. (2 hr, 12 min) Play
In 1829 Mendelssohn had organized the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the
composer's death in 1750 and was instrumental in bringing this and other Bach works to widespread
popularity. Elijah pays tribute to the music of Bach and Handel but also infuses his own romanticism
into the work.
Elijah easily places in the top ten romantic choral works of the 19th century. Unlike Liszt's oratorio
Christus, this work about the Old Testment prophet fits with both Mendelssohn's Jewish roots and
his family's conversion to Christianity.
all genres except opera. His older sister Fanny was also a talented composer.
Day 1
Introduction: Felix Mendelssohn Biography A list of Mendelssohn's compositions
Symphonies (order of composition: No. 1, No. 5., No. 4, No, 2, No. 3):
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 "Scottish" (begun 1829, premiered 1842)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Andres Orazco-Estrada, cond. (44 min) Play
Mendelssohn wrote this symphony over a 13 year period and it was the last one he finished. It is his
second most popular symphony.
Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 "Italian" (premiered 1833, rev. 1834)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi, cond. (31 min) Play
Mendelssohn's most popular symphony. He completed most of it on a trip to Italy and said it was "the
jolliest thing I have ever done, especially the last movement." It sounds like a cross between a Mozart
Symphony and a Beethoven symphony with distinctive Mendelssohn sounds.
Symphony No. 5 in D major/minor, Op. 107 "Reformation" (1830, premiered 1832)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jereme Rhorer, cond. (35 min) Play
Actually, Mendelssohn's 2nd symphony, he was never really satisfied with it and it wasn't
published until after his death. It is fairly popular today.
Overtures and Incidental Music:
Overture & Incidental Music to Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", opp. 21, 61 (overture 1826, full score 1842)
Frankfort Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi, cond. (50 min) Play
Mendelssohn wrote the well known overture when he was seventeen. The incidental music for the play
was written at age 33 six years before his death. The incidental music has the famous "Wedding March".
While romantic in its sound, it is classical in its structure.
The Hebrides (Overture) in B minor for orchestra (a.k.a. Fingal's Cave), op. 26 (1830, rev. 1832)
London Symphony Orchestra, John Elliot Gardiner, cond. (10 min) Play
Concertos:
Violin Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 64 (1844) Joshua Bell, violin (28 min) Play
This is considered one of the five greatest violin concertos of all time. It has many innovations, most
notably the solo violin entering at the very beginning of the work and the three movements not being
separated by a break.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (1831) Yuja Wang, piano (19 min) Play
Although not as famous as the violin concerto, this is an excellent concerto. Its first movement is one
of Mendelssohn's stormiest. It shares the same two major innovations as the violin concerto.
Mendelssohn's second piano concerto isn't as highly regarded as this one.
Day 2
Chamber Music:
String Octet in E flat major, Op. 20 (1825 @ age 16)
Janine Jansen & Friends (33 min) Play
This work for eight string players was composed when Mendelssohn was 15 attests to Mendelssohn
being the child genius that Mozart was. it is one of the most popular chamber works of the 19th century.
String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 (1847) Schumann Quartet (30 min) Play
Written just a few months after his sister Fanny's death, it is the last major work Mendelssohn completed,
and his most popular string quartet.
Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58 (1842-43)
Natalia Gutman, cello & Viacheslav Poprugin, piano (25 min) Play
Although not considered a great cello sonata, it is very pleasurable to listen to.
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839
Joshua Bell, violin, Misha Maisky, cello, Evgeny Kissin, piano (31 min) Play
Mendelssohn's first piano trio is among the very best of the Romantic era. His second, although not
as popular, is also very good.
Solo Piano Music:
Variations Sérieuses (1841) Leonardo Colafelice, piano (13 min) Play
Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) (1829 - 1845)
Selections - live video - Viktoria Postnikova, piano (20 min) Play
Complete - audio only - Daniel Barenboim, piano (2 hours, 12 min) Play
Composed throughout his career, these highly romantic works in song format are his most popular
solo piano works.
Vocal Music:
Elijah (German: Elias) Op. 70 oratorio (1846)
Orchestre National de France, Daniele Gatti, cond. (2 hr, 12 min) Play
In 1829 Mendelssohn had organized the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the
popularity. Elijah pays tribute to the music of Bach and Handel but also infuses his own romanticism
into the work.
Elijah easily places in the top ten romantic choral works of the 19th century. Unlike Liszt's oratorio
Christus, this work about the Old Testment prophet fits with both Mendelssohn's Jewish roots and
his family's conversion to Christianity.
