Mendelssohn’s Masterpieces | Popular Classical Music
Mendelssohn, a composer who represents German Romanticism.
He was active not only as a composer but also as a pianist and conductor, and from a young age he possessed such musical talent that he was called a child prodigy.
In this article, we introduce some of the masterpieces Mendelssohn left behind.
Whether you’re a fan of Mendelssohn or not very familiar with him, please take a look.
We hope you’ll notice the characteristics and charm of his style and discover some new favorite pieces.
If you play an instrument or sing, do try performing them yourself!
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Mendelssohn’s Masterpieces | Popular Classical Music (41–50)
Songs Without Words, Book 4, Op. 53 No. 4, Sorrow of the HeartFelix Mendelssohn
From the piano collection Songs Without Words, whose delicate, introspective melodies touch the heart, this piece stands out for the serene beauty of its Adagio.
Its gently flowing line carries deep sorrow and melancholy; published in 1841, the work remains calm while containing powerful emotional expression.
As the right hand sings a graceful melody, the left hand supports it softly, like a heartbeat.
Suited to a composed, reflective performance, it is recommended for those who want to fully savor the allure of Romantic music and value nuanced expression.
Despite its simple structure, it offers rich musicality.
Mendelssohn’s Masterpieces | Popular Classical Music (51–60)
The Lark, Op. 48 No. 4Felix Mendelssohn
How gentle is the sound of your song, O lark, lifting me high into joy.
Let me sing with you, beat my wings beyond the clouds, and rise toward the sun; this is a translation of the original poem.
In Japanese: O lark, soaring high and light, what do you sing? You praise heaven’s grace and earth’s glory, you celebrate them in song.
The piece is being sung by the Itabashi Ward Mixed Chorus.
I’m not sure if they’re professional, but they are very skilled.
It’s a splendid canon (a musical round).
It is sung a cappella (without accompaniment).
If you like, try searching for “Lerchengesang Op.
48-4 Felix Mendelssohn” for videos.
There are several, each at a different tempo, and each with its own appeal.
Ave Maria, Motet for 8 voices, Op. 23 No. 2Felix Mendelssohn
There is an Ave Maria composed in 1820 and another Ave Maria for mixed chorus and organ from 1830.
This is the one composed in 1830, a beautiful piece for eight voices.
The tenor begins by singing “Ave Maria,” followed by ensemble entries.
The middle section is a plea and prayer to Mary.
“Ave Maria” means “Hello, Mary,” or “Hail, Mary.” The structure of the piece is: Ave Maria (Andante) – Sancta Maria (con moto) – Ave Maria (Andante).
The Royal Church Ensemble performs it a cappella in eight parts.
At times, organ accompaniment may be used, or instruments such as clarinet, bassoon, cello, and double bass may be added.
Severe Variations, Op. 54, U 156, in D minorFelix Mendelssohn
This is a solo piano piece composed by Mendelssohn in 1841.
Commissioned by a Viennese publisher, the proceeds from the sheet music were used to fund the erection of a monument to Beethoven.
While belonging to the Romantic era, it retains a classical sense of formal beauty.
As a set of variations, it shows strong influences from Beethoven and Mozart, setting it apart from the dazzling variation works popular at the time by Liszt and Chopin that emphasized virtuosic display.
It is one of the crowning achievements of Mendelssohn’s mature period.
The work consists of a strict, polyphonic theme in D minor followed by 17 variations.
The key remains D minor throughout, except for the 14th variation, which is in D major.
The principal variations feature syncopation and triplets, creating a dramatic character, and the piece concludes with a rapid coda.
The performer is Hitomi Maeyama, a Japanese pianist.
Performance duration: approximately 12 minutes.
Lullaby, Op. 47Felix Mendelssohn
A work set to a poem by Karl Klingemann.
Titled “Bei der Wiege,” translated here as “To Sleep.” Some render it as “Cradle Song,” but I chose “Lullaby.” Composed in 1841.
Good night! Good night, dream now of joys and sorrows yet to come; behold the figures of wonderful people—many will pass by, yet new ones will appear for you.
Be patient and wait.
Good night! Good night, dream now of spring’s power, as flowers open and grow; listen to the birds’ chirping, to love overflowing in heaven and on earth! Today will pass away, but do not worry—be patient and wait: spring will still bloom and still shine.
The above is a general sense of the lyrics.Soprano: Bożena Harasimowicz (1965, Polish soprano)Piano: Olga NieczypropenkoFrom a 2009 recital.
String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44 No. 2Felix Mendelssohn
After writing his String Quartet No.
1 in 1829, Mendelssohn stepped away from composing string quartets for a time.
During that period he produced masterpieces such as the Symphony No.
4 “Italian” and the overture “The Hebrides” (“Fingal’s Cave”), and he also took up the post of conductor for the Leipzig Gewandhaus concerts, pursuing a wide range of activities.
He returned to the string quartet in 1837, eight years after the First Quartet.
This led to a set of three quartets that could be called “Mendelssohn’s Razumovsky.” “Razumovsky” refers to Beethoven’s quartets.
This work is regarded not only as quintessentially Mendelssohnian but as one of the finest achievements in Europe at the time.
In the same key as his famous Violin Concerto in E minor, it is filled with beauty, poignancy, and lyricism—meditative, yet culminating in an energetic finale.
The performance time is about 27 minutes, noted in connection with the Chamber International Competition and Festival held in Osaka.
String Quartet No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 44 No. 3Felix Mendelssohn
Right after completing his String Quartet No.
4, Mendelssohn, riding a wave of momentum, began composing his String Quartet No.
5, which he finished the following year, 1838.
In this work, Mendelssohn pushes even further the path of honoring classical forms that he pursued in No.
4.
While it shows the influence of Beethoven’s “Rasumovsky” quartets, it retains Mendelssohn’s characteristic graceful melodies and vibrant rhythms, resulting in a piece that conveys brightness and vivacity.
Among Mendelssohn’s series of string quartets, it may appear the most modest at first glance, but it reveals deeper rewards the more one listens.
Mendelssohn was extremely satisfied with this work and is said to have remarked that it was “hundreds of times better” than the quartets he had written up to that point.
Approximately 35 minutes in the Viridian String Quartet’s performance.