Felix Mendelssohn Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn91rank/position

Stage@Seven: Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ouverture) – Andrés Orozco-Estrada

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy by Shakespeare with the same title.

Set in ancient Athens, it features a stubborn father determined to marry his daughter off to the man he chose, the daughter who loves someone else, and the father plotting to have his disobedient child executed.

There’s also the daughter’s best friend and her lover.

The fairy king Oberon uses a love potion in a whirlwind of slapstick to somehow bring two pairs of lovers together, and the story ends happily with their weddings.

Mendelssohn wrote the incidental music for this drama—11 (or 12) pieces including intermezzi and a scherzo—with the drama beginning with the Overture.

Since Frederick Ashton’s 1964 choreography, it has been performed as a ballet.

The complete music runs about 50 minutes; to start, please listen to the opening Overture.

Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61Felix Mendelssohn92rank/position

[Yuri Simonov] Mendelssohn: Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Mendelssohn’s masterpiece A Midsummer Night’s Dream was composed for Shakespeare’s play.

One section, the Wedding March, has a bright, majestic tone and a festive atmosphere.

After it was performed at the 1858 wedding of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter in Britain, it became widely beloved as a wedding standard.

Many of you have probably heard it at least once.

It is performed by a resplendent orchestral ensemble, and its powerful, fanfare-like motif is particularly striking.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn93rank/position

Mendelssohn – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture, Op. 21 (Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchestra)

This is A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a piece completed by the German composer Felix Mendelssohn when he was just 17.

It is said to be based on Shakespeare’s play.

The piece also appears to be used in the Japanese TV anime beloved over many years, Doraemon, specifically in the film Doraemon: Nobita and the Galaxy Super-Express.

You’ll be overwhelmed by the dynamic, grand performance unique to an orchestra.

It’s also used as incidental music, making it familiar and full of the charm of classical music, so please give it a listen.

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kurichan

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Saint Paul, Op. 36Felix Mendelssohn94rank/position

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Paulus op.36 aus dem Katharinensaal der HMT-Rostock

A monumental oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn in which grand chorus and orchestra unite to paint the Bible’s dramatic narratives in sound.

Mendelssohn is renowned for reviving Bach’s music, and you can feel his profound reverence for that tradition in this work as well.

The piece traces the spiritual journey of Saul, once a persecutor, as he converts and becomes the Apostle Paul.

The overwhelming power of the chorus is no mere backdrop; at times it embodies the crowd, at others the community of believers, propelling the story with compelling force.

Premiered in May 1836, the work was celebrated as one of the composer’s signature pieces during his lifetime.

It is a masterpiece—ideal for immersing yourself in majestic, narrative-rich music that offers a different flavor from opera.

Hymn No. 98: ‘Glory to God in the Highest’Felix Mendelssohn95rank/position

Hymn No. 98: Glory to God in the Highest

Known as a quintessential hymn celebrating Christmas, this piece has a profound historical background.

The lyrics were written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and later revised by George Whitefield.

The melody was adapted from part of a cantata composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840.

In 1855, William H.

Cummings shaped it into the form we know today, leading to its wide popularization.

The hymn celebrates the reconciliation between God and humanity through the birth of Christ, the coming of peace and mercy, and the dawning of a new light of life.

Its beautiful melody and powerful message enhance the atmosphere of the holy night and deeply move listeners.

It is sung in many churches during the Christmas season and continues to be loved by Christians around the world.

Hymn No. 98: Glory in the HighestFelix Mendelssohn96rank/position

Hymn No. 98: Glory in the highest

Gloria in Excelsis (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) was composed by Felix Mendelssohn, a composer and keyboardist born in Berlin in the Kingdom of Prussia.

It is a very famous Christmas hymn, and even people who don’t know the title have likely heard it during the Christmas season.

Six Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35: No. 1, PreludeFelix Mendelssohn97rank/position

Mendelssohn / Six Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35 No. 1, Prelude; pf: Michiya Otake

Mendelssohn’s representative work, Prelude and Fugue in E minor, Op.

35 No.

1 – Prelude.

It’s a piece in which melodies strongly influenced by Bach gradually reveal a Romantic character, and its high level of difficulty means it is still performed by many pianists today.

The most challenging aspect is undoubtedly the section in the latter half where the tempo accelerates.

In addition to the difficulty of rapid passages, it also demands a high degree of expressiveness, making it truly a piano piece for advanced players.

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Ryo

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Symphony No. 4 “Italian”Felix Mendelssohn98rank/position

Mendelssohn: 4. Sinfonie (»Italienische«) ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Paavo Järvi

Mendelssohn began composing this piece during his travels in Italy from the autumn of 1830 to the spring of 1831.

He is often called a “painter in sound,” and the opening music has a grandeur that feels as if a sun‑drenched landscape is unfolding before your eyes.

He also incorporated the saltarello, an Italian dance that was popular in the 15th century, to evoke the spirit of Italy.

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HATSUMI

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Prosper under the rainFelix Mendelssohn99rank/position

Glory to God in the highest — composed by Mendelssohn, arranged by Keiichi Kosaka — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

It’s a classic Christmas carol.

It’s often used in commercials and as insert music in TV dramas and movies.

While the divided-part choral version is, of course, beautiful, the wind ensemble arrangement is also very rich and highly recommended.

Wedding March (Music Box)Felix Mendelssohn100rank/position

Wedding March / Mendelssohn [Soothing Music Box BGM]

When it comes to wedding music, Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March,” famous for its ta-ta-ta-taaaan motif, is well known.

This is the music box version.

Unlike the orchestral rendition, it has a very cute charm.

The soothing, relaxing feel is unique to the music box timbre.

It would work not only for the entrance but also as background music during the party.

Highly recommended for wedding receptions.

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Mayumi

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