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!

Playlist

Mendelssohn’s Masterpieces \| Popular Classical Music
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19: No. 3 “Hunting Song”Felix Mendelssohn		A lively piano piece by Mendelssohn depicting a hunt
2	May Breeze Op. 62-1Felix Mendelssohn		A spring masterpiece from Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words
3	Songs Without Words, Book 5, Op. 62, No. 6: “Spring Song”Felix Mendelssohn		The Spring Song from Songs Without Words depicts the beauty of spring.
4	Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61Felix Mendelssohn		Composed by Mendelssohn, a classic wedding song.
5	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19 No. 1 “Sweet Remembrance”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s fairy-like, dreamlike masterpiece of Songs Without Words
6	Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ‘Italian’Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony
7	A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn		Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn
8	Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49Felix Mendelssohn		Schumann highly praised the piano trio
9	Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14, U 67, E majorFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's expressive piano pieces
10	String Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s string quartet at age sixteen
11	Fingal’s Cave, Op. 26: Concert OvertureFelix Mendelssohn		Overture The Hebrides composed by Mendelssohn
12	Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64Felix Mendelssohn		Introduction to Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
13	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 6: “Venetian Boat Song No. 2”Felix Mendelssohn		Introducing Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song
14	Hear My Prayer, O LordFelix Mendelssohn		A piece of sacred music composed in 1834. A soothing melody.
15	Six Songs, Op. 34: No. 2 ‘On Wings of Song’Felix Mendelssohn		A beautiful song set to Heine’s poetry that gracefully depicts the illusions of love.
16	From the oratorio “St. Paul,” Part I, No. 2: “Lord, Lord God”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's masterpiece of sacred music
17	Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58Felix Mendelssohn		A chamber music masterpiece for cello and piano composed by Mendelssohn
18	Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Masterpiece String Octet at Age 15
19	Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 “Scottish”
20	Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61Felix Mendelssohn=Rachmaninoff		Shakespeare’s piece arranged for piano by Rachmaninoff
21	Oratorio ‘Elijah’ Op. 70Felix Mendelssohn		An oratorio depicting the life of Elijah
22	Barcarolle of Venice, Op. 57 No. 5Felix Mendelssohn		Venetian barcarolle, the melancholy of a man waiting for his lover
23	Saint Paul, Op. 36Felix Mendelssohn		Biblical Oratorio in the Bach Tradition
24	Piano Sonata No. 3 in B-flat major, Op. 106Felix Mendelssohn		A masterful sonata composed by Mendelssohn at age 18
25	“Six Duets,” Op. 63, No. 4: “Song of Autumn”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Six Duets
26	Greeting from Six Songs, Op. 19-aFelix Mendelssohn		Heine’s poem with Heine’s music: a collaborative performance by singer and accompanist
27	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19 No. 6 “Venetian Boat Song No. 1”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song
28	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30: No. 3 “Consolation”Felix Mendelssohn		A beautiful piece from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words
29	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19, No. 1: Sweet RemembranceFelix Mendelssohn		…with a smoothly flowing sixteenth-note accompaniment…
30	Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62 No. 5, No. 3: “Venetian Boat Song”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s moving canal miniature
31	Songs Without Words, Book VII, Op. 85, No. 4 “Elegy”Felix Mendelssohn		A serene masterpiece from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words
32	Songs Without Words, Book 7, Op. 85, No. 4, ElegyFelix Mendelssohn		This “Elegy” is by Mendelssohn...
33	Songs Without Words, Book 8, Op. 102, No. 4 ‘The Zephyr’Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words are masterpieces that soothe the heart
34	Barcarolle No. 2 in F-sharp minor from Songs Without Words, Book IIFelix Mendelssohn		The Appeal of Mendelssohn’s Masterpiece “Songs Without Words”
35	On Wings of SongFelix Mendelssohn		A composer of the German Romantic school known for delicate music…
36	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 6 “Venetian Boat Song”Felix Mendelssohn		Known for its graceful melodies and delicate emotional expression…
37	Songs Without Words, Book 8, Op. 102, No. 4, Zephyr (Breeze)Felix Mendelssohn		Especially among Mendelssohn’s collections of piano pieces...
38	Three Fantasies or Caprices, Op. 16: No. 1 in A minor/A major, MWV U 70Felix Mendelssohn		An emotionally rich piano piece written in the summer of 1829…
39	Seven Character Pieces, No. 5 in A major, “Earnestly, with increasing liveliness (Ernst und mit steigender Lebhaftigkeit),” Fugue, MWV U 60Felix Mendelssohn		A calm, sunrise-like warmth and a sophisticated composition
40	Seven Character Pieces, No. 6 in E minor “Sehnsüchtig (Full of Longing)”, Andante, MWV U 61Felix Mendelssohn		A beautiful melody, like a tune or a song, unfolds from the very beginning…
41	Rondo Capriccioso in E major, Op. 14, MWV U 67 No. 1 AndanteFelix Mendelssohn		Beginning with an elegant and lyrical Andante, it becomes light and lively…
42	Variations in E-flat major, Op. 82, MWV U 158 — Theme: Andante assai espressivoFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's Elegant Variations
43	Six Pieces for Children (Christmas Album), Op. 72: No. 2 in E-flat major, Andante sostenuto, MWV U 170Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s heartwarming piano piece
44	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19: No. 2, RegretFelix Mendelssohn		“Lieder ohne Worte” No. …
45	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19, No. 4: A Secret ConversationFelix Mendelssohn		A calm and graceful miniature, rich in emotion
46	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 1: MeditationFelix Mendelssohn		A classic with a gentle melody, rich in emotion
47	Songs Without Words, Book III, Op. 38, No. 4: HopeFelix Mendelssohn		A calm and approachable piece from the Songs Without Words collection
48	Songs Without Words, Book 4, Op. 53 No. 1 “By the Seashore”Felix Mendelssohn		A lyrical piano piece that evokes a seaside landscape
49	Songs Without Words, Book 4, Op. 53 No. 2 “Floating Clouds”Felix Mendelssohn		An elegant Romantic-era song without words, playable with careful practice
50	Songs Without Words, Book 4, Op. 53 No. 4, Sorrow of the HeartFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s collection of emotionally rich short pieces
51	The Lark, Op. 48 No. 4Felix Mendelssohn		A choral piece praising the song of the skylark
52	Ave Maria, Motet for 8 voices, Op. 23 No. 2Felix Mendelssohn		Ave Maria is a beautiful choral piece for eight voices
53	Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66Felix Mendelssohn		A profound performance of a piano trio by Oistrakh
54	Severe Variations, Op. 54, U 156, in D minorFelix Mendelssohn		Piano Variations from Mendelssohn’s Mature Period
55	Lullaby, Op. 47Felix Mendelssohn		Lullaby composed by Klingenmann
56	String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44 No. 2Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn recomposed a string quartet.
57	String Quartet No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 44 No. 3Felix Mendelssohn		Completion and characteristics of Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 5
58	Beloved Place, Op. 99 No. 3Felix Mendelssohn		A love story pained by the thorns of a rose
59	Tavern Song of Turkey, Op. 50-1Felix Mendelssohn		Song of the Turkish Tavern, composed by Mendelssohn with lyrics by Goethe
60	Albumleaf, Op. 117Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s graceful piano piece
61	Symphony No. 5 “Reformation” in D minor, Op. 107Felix Mendelssohn		Characteristics and Performance of Mendelssohn's Christian Musical Works
62	Songs Without Words, Book 4, Op. 53, No. 2 “Floating Clouds”Felix Mendelssohn		Introduction of a pianist who performs pieces from Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words
63	Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62: No. 1 “May Breezes”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn Spring Melody piano piece
64	Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62: No. 5 “Venetian Boat Song No. 3”Felix Mendelssohn		A representative piece from the Songs Without Words that expresses emotion on the piano
65	Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 (incidental music)Felix Mendelssohn		A German composer representing the early Romantic era, Fe…
66	Fantasia in F-sharp minor, Op. 28 “Scottish Sonata”Felix Mendelssohn		A great figure who has garnered popularity with a fantastical musical style…
67	Wedding MarchFelix Mendelssohn		Recommended classical wedding entrance songs
68	Songs Without Words, Book I, No. 3, Hunter’s Song, Op. 19Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s passionate hunting piece
69	Wedding March (Music Box)Felix Mendelssohn		When it comes to wedding music, everyone knows the ta-ta-ta-TAAN…
70	Wedding March (Jazz)Felix Mendelssohn		A cool ‘wedding…’ that begins with “Ta-ta-ta—taaan”
71	Three Fantasies, or Caprice, Op. 16 No. 3Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn made his first trip to England…
72	Six Pieces for Children, Op. 72 No. 2Felix Mendelssohn		Alongside the Songs Without Words, Mendelssohn's...
73	6 Pieces for Children, Op. 72 No. 3Felix Mendelssohn		Without needing to master difficult techniques, Roma…
74	Seven Character Pieces, Op. 7: No. 1 — Gently, with feelingFelix Mendelssohn		Composed between 1827 and 1829…
75	HerbstliedFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Autumn Song, portraying the transience of life and hope
76	“On Wings of Song” from “Six Songs”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn songs arranged by Liszt
77	Fantasia on “The Last Rose of Summer,” Op. 15Felix Mendelssohn		The Last Rose of Summer is by the Irish poet, …
78	Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s DreamFelix Mendelssohn		The famous Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream at weddings
79	Elias (Elia)Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s aria, music that moves the heart
80	Organ Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 65 No. 4, MWV W59, IV. Allegro maestoso e vivaceFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn composed in 1845...
81	Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64Felix Mendelssohn		One of the composers who represent the early Romantic period is F...
82	Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, MWV O 14Felix Mendelssohn		A masterpiece of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
83	Violin Concerto in D minor, MWV 03: I. Allegro moltoFelix Mendelssohn		Felix Mendelssohn in 1822…
84	Violin Concerto in E minor, First MovementFelix Mendelssohn		The German Romantic composer who represents Germany, F...
85	Violin Concerto in E major, Op. 64, MWV O 14: I. Allegro molto vivaceFelix Mendelssohn		The V... that Mendelssohn composed in 1844
86	Rondo Capriccioso in E major, Op. 14Felix Mendelssohn		A German artist who left behind many delicate and graceful works...
87	Violin Sonata in F minor, Op. 4Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s youthful masterpiece
88	Violin ConcertoFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
89	Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 – Movement IFelix Mendelssohn		Expressing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in a piano arrangement
90	From Violin Concerto, First MovementFelix Mendelssohn		The Allure of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
91	Violin Concerto, Second MovementFelix Mendelssohn		An emotionally rich solo violin and a beautiful melody
92	Symphonies Nos. 1–5Felix Mendelssohn		Complete Mendelssohn Symphonies, conducted by Abbado
93	Prelude and Fugue in C minor, Op. 37 No. 1: FugueFelix Mendelssohn		Germany, the great composer of the Romantic era, Mendel...
94	Strict Variations, Op. 54Felix Mendelssohn		Variations with profound expressiveness, composed by Mendelssohn
95	Strict Variations in D minor, Op. 54Felix Mendelssohn		German composer Felix Mendelsso…
96	Glory in the highestFelix Mendelssohn		Charles, said to be one of the four great hymns of Britain…
97	Glory in the highestFelix Mendelssohn		It is a representative Christmas hymn, and in Engla...
98	Six Pieces for Children (Christmas Album), Op. 72: No. 1 in G major, Allegro non troppo, MWV U 171Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn for children, even for beginners...
99	Song of SpringFelix Mendelssohn		When asked, 'Which composers have many brilliant works?' ...
100	On Wings of SongFelix Mendelssohn		A song to which Mendelssohn set music for a poem by Heine
101	Songs Without Words, Book I, Op. 19, No. 6: Venetian Boat Song No. 1Felix Mendelssohn		The water capital that the boatman was said to be humming about on the boat...
102	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 3, ConsolationFelix Mendelssohn		Teaching materials for children's practice with a relatively low level of difficulty...
103	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30, No. 6: Venetian Boat SongFelix Mendelssohn		The Gondola Song from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words
104	Songs Without Words, Book II, Op. 30: No. 6, Venetian Boat Song No. 2Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s emotionally rich masterpiece
105	Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62 No. 1 ‘May Breezes’Felix Mendelssohn		“May ...” from Songs Without Words, Book V
106	Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62, No. 6 “Spring Song”Felix Mendelssohn		Felix Mendel..., who was active in the 19th century
107	Spring Song from Songs Without WordsFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Spring Song, a representative piece from Songs Without Words
108	A Midsummer Night’s DreamFelix Mendelssohn		Based on Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream…
109	A Midsummer Night’s Dream: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn		Introducing the charm of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
110	Hymn No. 98: ‘Glory to God in the Highest’Felix Mendelssohn		The History and Significance of Christmas Hymns
111	Hymn No. 98: Glory in the HighestFelix Mendelssohn		The classic Christmas hymn “Glory to God in the Highest”
112	Six Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35: No. 1, PreludeFelix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s representative work, “Six Prel…
113	Symphony No. 4 “Italian”Felix Mendelssohn		Music works influenced by a trip to Italy
114	Prosper under the rainFelix Mendelssohn		It’s a classic Christmas carol. You often hear it in commercials and...
115	Wedding March from the opera “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s famous piece known for weddings
116	Violin ConcertoFelix Mendelssohn		Composed by Mendelssohn, a masterpiece among the three great violin concertos
117	Six Pieces for Children, Op. 72 No. 1Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn for children, even for beginners...
118	Symphony No. 2 “Hymn”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2, “Lobgesang,” is...
119	Wedding MarchFelix Mendelssohn		When I hear “Wedding March,” this piece comes to mind...
120	From the Motets, No. 1 “Lord, Come” Op. 39-1Felix Mendelssohn		A motet composed by Mendelssohn for nuns in Rome
121	String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 87Felix Mendelssohn		Live performance of Mendelssohn's String Quintet No. 2
122	Andante and the Brilliant AllegroFelix Mendelssohn		Known as the composer of the Songs Without Words, the 'Lieder ohne Worte'…
123	Songs Without Words “Spring Song”Felix Mendelssohn		Mendelssohn's landscape depiction musical work.
124	Songs Without Words, Book III, Op. 38 No. 6: “Duet”Felix Mendelssohn		Representative works of Felix Mendelssohn…
125	Songs Without Words, Book IV, Op. 53, No. 3: “Presto agitato (Foreboding)”Felix Mendelssohn		A passionate masterpiece from Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words