Felix Mendelssohn Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64Felix Mendelssohn50rank/position

FELIX MENDELSSOHN – Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 – Shlomo Mintz/Israel Symphony/Zubin Mehta

A work that, along with Beethoven’s Op.

61 and Brahms’s Op.

77, is hailed as one of the three great violin concertos.

The sweet, plaintive, and emotionally charged opening melody for solo violin is so famous that many people have likely heard it at least once.

It combines both joy and melancholy, and its bright, brilliant yet gentle and expressive beautiful melodies leave a lasting impression.

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From Violin Concerto, First MovementFelix Mendelssohn51rank/position

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, First Movement

Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto—affectionately known by the nickname “Meso-con”—is such a masterpiece that, together with the violin concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, it is counted among the “Four Great Violin Concertos.” Mendelssohn’s music possesses a pure, mystical resonance, and his musicality led to his being hailed as a prodigy from a young age.

Although this piece opens with power and intensity, it also features Mendelssohn’s characteristically flowing melodies throughout.

It is a work in which poignancy, beauty, and passion are intricately woven together.

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Violin Concerto, Second MovementFelix Mendelssohn52rank/position

Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 64: III. Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace

In stark contrast to the first movement, which begins with an intense melody, the second movement opens with a gentle and beautiful violin soliloquy.

Over the orchestra’s delicate accompaniment, the violin spins an emotionally rich line.

Entering the middle section, the music shifts to the minor key, and a fierce sorrow emerges in contrast to what came before.

The striking interplay between fresh, radiant beauty and profound sadness stands out, making this a piece that highlights the flowing lyricism of Mendelssohn—celebrated as a prodigy since childhood.

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Barcarolle of Venice, Op. 57 No. 5Felix Mendelssohn53rank/position

Mendelssohn – “Venezianisches Gondellied” – Schreier

This is a work from 1842.

It is a melancholy yet passionate song in which a man, transformed into a Venetian gondolier, longs and sings as he waits for his lover.

The poem is by Thomas Moore.

Thomas Moore was a poet born in Ireland in 1805 and is known for writing “The Last Rose of Summer” (The Thousand Grasses of the Garden).

Venetianisches Gondellied, the Venetian barcarolle, was translated into German; it begins, “When the evening breeze blows across the square, Ninetta, you know who is waiting here.” Performed by tenor Peter Schreier with Walter Olbertz at the piano.

Peter Schreier, born in 1935, was a German tenor who in recent years also took up conducting.

He was active across a wide range of repertoire, including opera (Mozart, Wagner, Strauss, etc.), oratorio, the St.

Matthew Passion, and German Lieder.

The accompanist Walter Olbertz was a pianist specializing in the Classical period (especially Haydn).

Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11Felix Mendelssohn54rank/position

Mendelssohn: 1. Sinfonie ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Composed when Mendelssohn was just fifteen, this work fully showcases his talent.

Consisting of four movements, it reflects Classical influences while shining with the originality of a young genius.

The strength of the first movement, the elegance of the second, the vitality of the third, and the grandeur of the fourth—each movement presents a different character that keeps listeners engaged.

It was premiered in November 1824 at a celebration for his sister’s birthday.

This piece is recommended not only for lovers of classical music but also for those who are just beginning to explore the world of music.

Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ‘Italian’Felix Mendelssohn55rank/position

Mendelssohn Italian Symphony (Herbert von Karajan)

The multilingual Mendelssohn began composing during a six-month trip to Italy.

He started the work in 1831 and completed it in 1833, when he was 22 to 24 years old.

The first movement begins in A major, and the fourth movement ends in A minor; however, rather than a mournful minor, it’s a dazzling, exuberant finale that incorporates the rhythm of the tarantella.

Throughout all the movements, the piece brims with bright, lively vitality, making it truly worthy of the name “Italian.” The performance time is about 30 minutes.

Please give it a listen!

Symphony No. 5 “Reformation” in D minor, Op. 107Felix Mendelssohn56rank/position

F. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 107 “Reformation” (1830 Original Version)

This is music that Mendelssohn, a devout Lutheran (Martin Luther led the Reformation in opposition to the Catholic Church), refined through many revisions.

Although Mendelssohn was Jewish and therefore would have been expected to follow Judaism, in order to survive in Europe at the time one needed a Christian baptismal certificate.

After converting, he became a fervent believer.

It was the Jewish Mendelssohn who revived the St.

Matthew Passion and restored the quintessentially German Bach to prominence.

His Christian music is extraordinarily beautiful.

The first movement begins with the prayers of the Mass, the Dresden Amen, and the final movement opens with the chorale “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Luther, first intoned by the flute, and concludes with power and splendor.

In the fourth movement, he uses the serpent—a rare instrument with a sinuously curved, snake-like shape—which is now almost always substituted by the tuba.

Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra.