Mendelssohn’s Masterpieces | Popular Classical Music

Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14, U 67, E majorFelix Mendelssohn

NIU NIU – MENDELSSOHN: Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14 MV

It is one of the most widely beloved pieces among Mendelssohn’s piano works.

Composed between 1828 and 1830, it was first published in London in 1830 or 1831.

Originally conceived as an étude, it later gained a songlike, expressive introduction and became a gift to the pianist Delphine von Schauroth.

While not the most technically demanding piece, it requires a delicate touch and a wide range of expression.

Play it with ample nuance—romantically and passionately.

String Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20Felix Mendelssohn

Prazak Quartet & Zemlinsky Quartet : Felix Mendelssohn String octet E-flat major Op. 20

“The piano that this boy improvises at first sight is nothing short of a miracle!” Mendelssohn, whom Goethe called a child prodigy, was a precocious genius.

He made his debut as a composer at nine, wrote a string quartet at twelve, and completed his Symphony No.

1 at fifteen.

The present work dates from when he was sixteen, already exhibiting refinement and a fully formed beauty.

Composed as a birthday gift for a friend, it reflects the worldview of Mendelssohn as he was growing from boyhood into youth.

It consists of four movements and is scored for four violins, two violas, and two cellos, though it is now also performed by orchestras as a string ensemble.

The performance time is about 35 minutes.

Please give it a listen.

Fingal’s Cave, Op. 26: Concert OvertureFelix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn – The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26

This piece is the overture Mendelssohn composed after being inspired by Fingal’s Cave during his visit to Scotland at age 20.

It vividly depicts the cave’s mysterious atmosphere and the movement of the sea, as if painting a landscape with music.

The opening theme conveys the cave’s power and beauty, while the second theme portrays the surging waves.

Richard Wagner reportedly praised it as “a work like a first-rate landscape painting.” Highly recommended for those who want to express natural scenery through music.

With a performance time of about nine minutes, why not listen while imagining Scotland’s majestic landscapes?

Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64Felix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto (Heifetz)

It’s a masterpiece that needs no introduction for classical music lovers.

The violin’s strikingly beautiful melody is so flowing it’s almost astonishing.

This concerto is esteemed alongside Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major and Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D major.

Composed late in Mendelssohn’s life over the course of six years, it is performed without breaks between its three movements.

The first movement begins with a wistful theme, features a dialogue between violin and orchestra, and concludes with Mendelssohn’s own designated cadenza.

The second movement presents a sweet violin melody over the orchestra’s accompaniment.

It then launches straight into the third movement, where, shifting from E minor to E major, the violin and orchestra bring the work to a brilliant finale.

A historically significant masterpiece—be sure to give it a listen.

Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 6: “Venetian Boat Song No. 2”Felix Mendelssohn

Song Without Words “Venetian Gondola Song, Op. 30 No. 6” by Mendelssohn — Lieder ohne Worte “Venezianisches Gondellied” Mendelssohn

From the eight volumes of Songs Without Words he composed throughout his life, here is one piece whose beautiful melody resonates in the heart.

Written in F-sharp minor, it paints in music the scene of a gondola gliding gracefully across the water.

Published in 1835, it is one of the five pieces that Mendelssohn himself titled “Venetian Boat Song.” Set in a gentle 6/8 meter, it envelops the listener in warmth.

Let your ears attend to the beautiful melodic line in the right hand, borne along by the quiet accompaniment in the left.

Six Songs, Op. 34: No. 2 ‘On Wings of Song’Felix Mendelssohn

Barbara Bonney – Auf Flugeln des Gesanges (Mendelssohn)

The second song of Six Songs, Op.

34, composed in 1834, is a beautiful Lied based on a poem by Heine.

Its graceful melody depicts a dreamlike scene in which the lover is invited to a utopian realm.

On the banks of the Ganges, a garden blooms under the moonlight with red flowers and water lilies.

There, violets and roses converse while a young deer listens.

Characterized by the rich expressiveness typical of the Romantic era, this piece leaves a deep impression on listeners.

In Japan, it is also well known for being used as the arrival melody for Kintetsu limited express trains.

Hear My Prayer, O LordFelix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn – Hear my Prayer (Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers)

This work is a sacred piece composed in 1834, written for orchestra and mixed chorus.

It features a gentle, emotional ballad-like character and a melody that brings calm and comfort.

The lyrics are a prayer to God, pleading for help, and speak of threats from enemies, loneliness, and fear.

It is often performed during the Christmas season and at religious ceremonies, and it is popular in church and sacred music concerts.

Even if you don’t usually listen to religious music, why not give this beautiful piece a try?