Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809 – 1847)

Vol. I - Piano pieces I Vol. II - Piano pieces II Vol. III - Sonatas, Variations Vol. IV - Lieder ohne Worte I Vol. V - Lieder ohne Worte II Vol. VI - Lieder ohne Worte III

Complete works for Pianoforte solo Original settings

Content Vol. I Page Preface 4

Capriccio op. 5 Prestissimo 1825  op.5, MWV U 50       5 Capriccio in f #                                        7 Charakterstücke / Character Pieces op. 7, MWV SD 1 1826 rit. No.1 MWV U 56 Andante Sanft, mit         16 Empfindung                                     Allegro vivace    No.2 MWV U 44 1824  Mit heftiger                     18                  Bewegung sempre legato           Allegro vivace 1826 No.3 MWV U 59        Kräftig und              22          feurig  Con moto 1826 No.4 MWV U 55 Schnell und      28                        beweglich                       Ernst und mit steigender Leidenschaft 1826 No.5 MWV U 60      36 Fuga in A                                        Andante 1826 No.6 MWV U 61        43 Sehnsüchtig                             Presto 1826 No.7 MWV U 62          Leicht und luftig                                    45  sempre                        Rondo capriccioso op. 14 Andante 1833 MWV U 67   52                                                             Phanatasie / Fantasy in E, op.15 über das irländische Lied / on the Irish song 'The last rose of summer' Adagio 1830        62 MWV U 74                                    

Presto agitato    62                            cresc. - -  - - - - -  -  -          Andante           66                           dolce una corda           semplice  Vol. 1 Page 3 Phantasien oder Capricen / Fantasies or Caprices op.16, MWV SD 4 1829

No.1 MWV U 70 Andante con moto in a/A        68 Nelken und                                   Rosen in Menge     Presto    No.2 MWV U 71                               72 Scherzo in e             Andante No.3 MWV U 72 in E      76 Am Bache /                                  The Rivulet   Phantasie / Fantasy in f # op.28, MWV U 92 1833 Con moto     agitato               80                     Allegro     85 con moto                                                         Presto                87                                    3 Capricen / Caprices op.33, MWV SD 11 Adagio quasi Fantasia 1834    No.1 MWV U 99                   97 Capriccio in a                                 1835 Allegro grazioso No.2 MWV U 112           109 Capriccio in E                                                        Adagio 1834 No.3 MWV U 95            119 Capriccio in Bb                                       cresc.              

Quellen / Sources 127 Content Vol. II

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6 Praeludien & Fugen / Preludes & Fugues op. 35, MWV SD 14 Allegro con fuoco 1835 No.1a               5 Praeludium                           in e   

Andante espressivo 1827 No.1b                  Fuga in e           10       Allegretto 1836 No.2a  Praeludium    16                     in D                         Tranquillo e sempre legato 1834 No.2b   Fuga in D               19                       No.3a Prestissimo staccato 1836 Praeludium              21                    in b(h)                cresc. Allegro con brio 1832 No.3b                              25 Fuga in b(h)          

No.4a Con moto   Praeludium               30              in Ab                1835 Con moto ma sostenuto No.4b    Fuga in Ab              33            

Andante lento 1836 No.5a   Praeludium     38                       in f                                            Allegro con fuoco No.5b 1834 Fuga in f                41                                 Maestoso moderato 1837 No.6a    Praeludium                                    48 in Bb               No.6b                             51 Fuga in Bb                 Vol. 2 Page 6 Kinderstücke / Children's pieces op. 72, MWV SD 36 1847 Allegro non troppo No.1     MWV U 171             57                                            Andante sostenuto cantabile No.2        58 MWV U 170                                       Allegretto No.3         59 MWV U 164                                                Andante con moto No.4                60 MWV U 169                                      Allegro assai  No.5         62 MWV U 166                                           Vivace No.6           64 MWV U 169                                                          3 Präludien / Preludes op. 104a, MWV SD 55 1836 Allegro molto e vivace No.1          66                       Prelude in Bb                     Allegro agitato No.2         71 Prelude in b                                Allegro vivace No.3                         75 Prelude in D                            3 Etüden / Etudes op. 104b, SD 55 1836 Presto sempre pp     No.1                                   79 Etude in bb                       Allegro con moto No.2       83 Etude in F                                         Allegro vivace sempre poco staccato No.3     90 Etude in a                             cresc.                Capriccio in E op. 118, MWV U 139 1837 Andante espressivo     Andante                 93                                              Allegro   Allegro                94                                     Vol. 2 Page Scherzo - Perpetuum mobile op. 119, MWV U 58 1826 Prestissimo                  Prestissimo            104            Etude in f WoO 1, MWV U 125 1836 Presto agitato marcato assai Presto                                     111       Scherzo in b (h) WoO 2, MWV U 69 1829 Prestissimo   Prestissimo                                            115                       Scherzo à capriccio in f # WoO 3, MWV U 113 Presto scherzando 1835-36               Presto                          117                                    Andante cantabile & Presto agitato WoO 6, MWV U 141   

Andante cantabile 1838  Andante            126                              Presto agitato           Presto                          129            cresc.  2 Klavierstücke / Piano pieces in Bb WoO 19, MWV U 93-94 1833 Andante cantabile  No.1      Andante in Bb               140                         Presto agitato No.2            142 Presto in Bb                                     Klavierstück / Piano piece in G oop., MWV U 38 1822                                   146       

Quellen / Sources 149 Content Vol. III Page

Sonaten / Sonatas 7

Sonata No.1 in E, op.6, MWV U 54 Allegretto con espressione 1826 I. Allegro con             espressione                 8                           Tempo di Menuetto II. Tempo di                          16 Menuetto                           sempre staccato e leggiero Adagio e senza tempo III. Recitativo.     Adagio e           21                    senza tempo        Molto Allegro e vivace IV. Molto    Allegro                              26                            e vivace  sempre    con fuoco   Sonata No.2 in g, op.posth.105, MWV U 30 1821 Allegro   I. Allegro   37                                               Adagio Cantabile e lento II. Adagio           44                                Presto     III. Presto                   48                 

Sonata No.3 in Bb, op.posth.106, MWV U 64 1827 Allegro vivace  I. Allegro                               54 vivace                                   II. Scherzo. Allegro non troppo Allegro non                          61 troppo                                         Andante quasi Allegretto  III. Andante                     quasi                64                   Allegretto  Allegro moderato  IV. Allegro                             68 moderato                    dolce   Vol. 3 Page Variationen / Variations 75 Variations sérieuses op.54, MWV U 156 Andante sostenuto 1841   Tema   76                                       Var. I         76                                       sempre Un poco più agitato    Var. II                     77                  Più animato  Var. III         78                           cresc.                                     Var. IV                 78                sempre  staccato e leggiero  Agitato  Var. V     79                                  legato ed espressivo   a tempo     Var. VI                              80       cresc.              cresc.  con fuoco   Var. VII                  80                               Allegro vivace    Var. VIII       81                                                      Var. IX             82      cresc.                        Var. X              83                                   cantabile   Var. XI     83                                                      cresc. Tempo di Tema  Var. XII                     84                   sempre   sempre assai leggiero         Var. XIII                         85                 Adagio     Var. XIV    86                                   poco a poco più agitato      Var. XV      86                sempre            Allegro vivace  Var. XVI  87                    cresc.                                       Var. XVII                            88               cresc.             

Andante con Variazioni in Eb, op.82, MWV U 158 Vol. 3 Page Andante assai espressivo 1841 Tema  92                                                    

Var. I          92                                      cresc.  

Var. II      93                                 Più vivace    Var. III             94                     cresc.                        Più moderato Var. IV  95                                   dim.          Tempo I Var. V       96                                        Andante con Variazioni in Bb, op.83, MWV U 159

Andante tranquillo 1841                         Tema                          101       Cantabile Var. I                101                                    Var. II         103                                                       Var. III                  104                                        Var. IV               105                Var. V              106                    sempre       Allegro   107 assai               vivace                              cresc. Vol. 3 Page Piano Arrangements 111 aus / from op.61, MWV M 13 "Ein Sommernachtstraum" / "A midsummer night's dream" Andante tranquillo legato 1843 No.8    112 Notturno in E                                                No.9 Hochzeits- Allegro vivace        115 marsch /                   Wedding march                                     Andante commodo No.10 Marcia                 120 funebre                         Allegro molto No.11 Rüpeltanz /          Dance of                              121 the Clowns              

aus / from op.36, MWV A 14 Oratorium / Oratorio "St. Paul" "Lasst uns singen von der Gnade des Herrn / I will sing of thy great mercies" Andante con moto 1836 Part II No. 5                123 Arioso                                   

aus / from op.70, MWV A 25 Oratorium "Elias" / from Oratorio "Elijah" 1846 "Sei stille dem Herrn / O rest in the Lord" Andantino No. 28 124 Aria                                          "Wer bis an das Ende beharrt / He that shall endure to the end"    Andante sostenuto No. 29    Chor / Chorus                   126                        cresc.  aus / from op.45, MWV Q 27 Cello Sonata in Bb 1838       No.2 Andante            127                          

aus / from op.49, MWV Q 29 Piano Trio No.1 in d Andante con moto 1839  No.2 Andante            128                   cresc.

aus / from op.66, MWV Q 33 Piano Trio No.2 in c Andante espressivo 1843     No.2 Andante        130                                                    Vol. 3 Page

aus / from op.52, MWV A 18 Symphony No. 2 : Lobgesang / Hymn of Praise 1840 Allegretto un poco agitato    No.2 Scherzo                      132           Ich harrete des Herrn / I waited for the Lord      134 No.5 Andante                                cresc.                     

aus / from op.56, MWV N 18 Symphony No. 3 : Schottische / Scotch 1842 Adagio cresc. No.3 Adagio       137                     cresc.              dim. aus / from op.64, MWV O 14 Concerto f. Violin in e Andante ben sostenuto e cantabile 1844                   140 No.2 Andante               dolce aus / from WoO 9, D4 Gutenberg-Kantate / -Cantata Melodie zum englischen Weihnachtslied / Melody to the English Christmas song Festgesang zum Gutenbergfest "Hark! The Herald Angels sing" Allegro moderato 1840       142                            

Quellen / Sources 143 Content Vol. IV Page Preface 4

Heft I / Book I - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 19b, MWV SD 5 5 Andante con moto 1 45 No. 1 in E 5 45               6 MWV U 86               con        cantabile   3 1 2  5  5  4 5 4 Andante espressivo 2 4 5 5 5 1 2 2 1 No. 2 in a  1  2   1                10 MWV U 80                    No. 3 in A Molto allegro e vivace      MWV U 89                  13 Jägerlied /                                Hunting song      4 Moderato 3 2 4 5 4 5 5 5 4 1 3 1 2 2 3 No. 4 in A 2 5 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1                17 MWV U 73                                                    Piano agitato 5 5 4 5 5 No. 5 in f# 4 2 52 4 1 2 1 4 1 3 1 2      18 MWV U 90                                                 4   2 45 5 No. 6 in g 5           23 MWV U 78         2                 Heft II / Book II - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 30, MWV SD 9 25

Andante espressivo 4 4 5 1 2 3 1 5 3 45 5 No. 1 in Eb  26 MWV U 103                                               Allegro di molto     4 4 No. 2 in Bb 5 1   1    3          29 MWV U 77                                         1dim.     Adagio non troppo    m.d.  1 2 1 2 4 1   No. 3 in E   m.s. 2  4      33 MWV U 104                     1 2           2      1     5 4 3 2 3 4 Agitato e con fuoco 5 2 4       2 No. 4 in b (h)                   34 MWV U 98                3 2 3 2                         Andante grazioso  No. 5 in D 4       38 MWV U 97    1 2                    Allegretto tranquillo          No. 6 in f# 2 1 4 3 MWV U 110             41                 Barcarolle   3          1  1    5 2    cantabile  5 3 3  3   Anhang / Appendix op. 30 Version  43 5 4 3 2 3 4 Version 2 Agitato e con fuoco 5 2 4  2 No. 4 in b (h)                   44 MWV U 98                 3 2 3 2                             Vol. 4 Page Heft III / Book III - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 38, MWV SD 16 49 Con moto cantabile 5 No. 1 in Eb 1 4 5 4 5 4 4 32  5 43 5         50 MWV U 121                              Allegro  non troppo 4 2 2 5 3 4 1 4 2 5 5 1 3 3 2 No. 2 in c   54           MWV U 115                                 1 2 Presto e molto vivace 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 No. 3 in E   57 MWV U 107                        cresc.    -   -   -   -                       Andante      No. 4 in A           63 MWV U 120                                  Agitato 4 3 No. 5 in a         65 MWV U 137                                                     Andante con moto  3  54 5 4 No. 6 in Ab                          70 MWV U 119     4 1 2  4 1 2                       1 2

Anhang / Appendix op. 38 Versions 75 Con moto 4 2 Frühfassung/Early setting, 1835 5 3 2 1 2 5 5 1 4 3 3 2 No. 2 in c   76 MWV U 115                                             Allegro agitato Frühfassung/Early setting, 1837 3 No. 5 in a 4         79 MWV U 137                                            

Quellen & Kommentare / Sources & Comments 84 Lieder ohne Worte - Preface

Mendelssohn was, like Mozart a musician genius who had already as a child played virtuos piano, composed numerous pieces, performed as conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra, and composed the overture to Shakespeare's " Midsummer Night's Dream" at the age of seventeen. Felix left behind posterity many wonderful works, by which he gained worldwide fame to the present time. Mendelssohn was trained according to the strict rules of classical music and unfolded his genius in the beginning of Romanticism. Thus, like no other, he unified the qualities of both styles. In contrast to his contemporaries, Schubert and Schumann, who strengthened the gloomy and melancholic reputation of Romanticism, Mendelssohn's music was the epitome of cheerful grace and gaiety, at the same time it was emotional and narrative. The most important and well-known piano works are the 'Songs without Words'. Songs without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) is a series of short lyrical piano pieces by the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn, written between 1829 and 1845. The eight volumes of Songs without Words, each consisting of six "songs" (Lieder), were written at various points throughout Mendelssohn's life, and were published separately. The piano became increasingly popular in Europe during the early nineteenth century, when it became a standard item in many middle-class households. The pieces are within the grasp of pianists of various abilities and this undoubtedly contributed to their popularity. This great popularity has caused many critics to under-rate their musical value. The first volume was published by Novello in London (1832) as Original Melodies for the Pianoforte, but the later volumes used the title Songs Without Words. The works were part of the Romantic tradition of writing short lyrical pieces for the piano, although the specific concept of "Song without Words" was new. Mendelssohn's sister Fanny wrote a number of similar pieces (though not so entitled) and, according to some music historians, she may have helped inspire the concept. The title Song without Words seems to have been Felix Mendelssohn's own invention. In 1828, Fanny wrote in a letter "My birthday was celebrated very nicely ... Felix has given me a 'song without words' for my album (he has lately written several beautiful ones)." Mendelssohn also wrote other Songs without Words not collected in volumes, and published only in recent years. Furthermore, original drafts exist for many of the 'Songs' many of which differ quite substantially from the eventually published versions.

The eight volumes

Book1 op. 19 (MWV SD 5) Book 2 op. 30 (MWV SD 9) ● Andante con moto in E op. 19 Nr. 1 (MWV U 86) ● Andante espressivo in Eb op. 30 Nr. 1 (MWV U 103) ● Andante espressivo in a op. 19 Nr. 2 (MWV U 80) ● Allegro di molto in bb op. 30 Nr. 2 (MWV U 77) ● Molto allegro e vivace in A op. 19 Nr. 3 (MWV U 89) ● Adagio non troppo in E op. 30 Nr. 3 (MWV U 104) ● Moderato in A op. 19 Nr. 4 (MWV U 73) ● Agitato e con fuoco in b op. 30 Nr. 4 (MWV U 98) ● Piano agitato in f# op. 19 Nr. 5 (MWV U 90) ● Andante grazioso in D op. 30 Nr. 5 (MWV U 97) ● Andante sostenuto in g Venetianisches Gondellied ● Allegretto tranquillo in f# Venetianisches Gondellied op. 19 Nr. 6 (MWV U 78) op. 30 Nr. 6 (MWV U 110)

Book 3 op. 38 (MWV SD 16) Book 4 op. 53 (MWV SD 23) ● Con moto in Eb op. 38 Nr. 1 (MWV U 121) ● Andante con moto in Ab op. 53 Nr. 1 (MWV U 143) ● Allegro non troppo in c op. 38 Nr. 2 (MWV U 115) ● Allegro non troppo in Eb op. 53 Nr. 2 (MWV U 109) ● Presto e molto vivace in E op. 38 Nr. 3 (MWV U 107) ● Presto agitato in g op. 53 Nr. 3 (MWV U 144) ● Andante in A op. 38 Nr. 4 (MWV U 120) ● Adagio in F op. 53 Nr. 4 (MWV U 114) ● Agitato in a op. 38 Nr. 5 (MWV U 137) ● Allegro con fuoco in a Volkslied op.53 Nr. 5 (MWV U 153) ● Andante con moto in Ab Duett op. 38 Nr. 6 (MWV U 119) ● Molto Allegro vivace in A op. 53 Nr. 6 (MWV U 154)

Book 5 op. 62 (MWV SD 29) Book 6 op. 67 (MWV SD 32) ● Andante espressivo in G op. 62 Nr. 1 (MWV U 185) ● Andante in Eb op. 67 Nr. 1 (MWV U 180) ● Allegro con fuoco in Bb op. 62 Nr. 2 (MWV U 181) ● Allegro leggiero in f# op. 67 Nr. 2 (MWV U 145) ● Andante maestoso in e op. 62 Nr. 3 (MWV U 177) ● Andante tranquillo in Bb op. 67 Nr. 3 (MWV U 102) ● Allegro con anima in G op. 62 Nr. 4 (MWV U 175) ● Presto in C op. 67 Nr. 4 (MWV U 182) ● Andante con moto in a Venetianisches Gondellied op. 62 Nr. 5 ● Moderato in b op. 67 Nr. 5 (MWV U 184) (MWV U 151) ● Allegro non troppo in E op. 67 Nr. 6 (MWV U 188) ● Allegretto grazioso in A op. 62 Nr. 6 (MWV U 161)

Heft 7 op. 85 (MWV SD 46) Heft 8 op. 102 (MWV SD 54) ● Andante espressivo in F op. 85 Nr. 1 (MWV U 189) ● Andante in e op. 102 Nr. 1 (MWV U 162) ● Allegro agitato in a op. 85 Nr. 2 (MWV U 101) ● Adagio in D op. 102 Nr. 2 (MWV U 192) ● Presto in Eb op. 85 Nr. 3 (MWV U 111) ● Presto in C Children’s piece op. 102 Nr. 3 (MWV U 195) ● Andante sostenuto in D op. 85 Nr. 4 (MWV U 190) ● Andante in g op. 102 Nr. 4 (MWV U 152) ● Allegretto in A op. 85 Nr. 5 (MWV U 191) ● Allegro vivace in A Childr.piece op.102 Nr. 5 (MWV U 194) ● Allegretto con moto in Bb op. 85 Nr. 6 (MWV U 155) ● Andante in C op. 102 Nr. 6 (MWV U 172)

In addition to the songs published in issues 1 to 8, our edition contains 11 songs without words, which do not belong to any cycle. These are piano pieces of the same genre with a manuscript title containing the word 'Lied' / ‘Song‘ ("Gondellied" or "Reiterlied"). The editorial reasons for each decision can be found in the notes on the individual affected works. Some Mendelssohn notated as Album leaves dedicated to friends and acquaintances. However, these are clearly songs without words. Thus, e.g. The manuscript of the Album leaf op. Posth 117 in E minor did not have a title but it appeared in the English and French editions equally with the German double title: 'Albumblatt / Lied ohne Worte' (Album leaf / Song without words). Content Vol. V Page Heft IV / Book IV - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 53, MWV SD 23 4

Andante con moto 4 5 5 5 3 5 4 No. 1 in Ab 5 4 3 1  2 1 3   5 MWV U 143                                         Allegro non troppo sehr innig / very intimate No. 2 in Eb 4 1 4 1 2 2 3 4 5            9 MWV U 109                        Presto  agitato  4  1 2 No. 3 in g    1 2 3                   13 MWV U 144                           Adagio      4 cantabile No. 4 in F 2 3 5  5 5 4  2 3 19 MWV U 114                                                   4                  Allegro con fuoco 5 5 3 4 1 5 No. 5 in a 2 4 2 5 2 4 1 4 MWV U 153     21                               Folk song              cresc. Molto allegro, vivace 4 3 No. 6 in E       MWV U 154                  25                            2    2  Anhang / Appendix op. 53 Version 31 Adagio 4 cantabile No. 4 in F, V2 2 3 5  5 5 4      2 3 32 MWV U 114                             Evening song                           4               Heft V / Book V - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 62, MWV SD 29 34 3 Andante espressivo 4 5 1 5 1 1 3 3 No. 1 in G 5 2 3 1 4 3     35 MWV U 185                         cresc.       cresc. Allegro con fuoco  5   4          4     1        4 3 No. 2 in Bb                                                   38 MWV U 181                                              Andante maestoso  5   3 4 4  2 No. 3 in e 4        2 2   42 MWV U 177                                              Allegro con anima  5 4 5 4 3 2 3 4 No. 4 in G 3  2    4    2           44 MWV U 175                          cresc.               5   Andante con moto 5 4 3 4 No. 5 in a 5 3 MWV U 151 3 2 1 3 2      1    46 Venetian    1  1  1              2 2 2         3  3     Gondola song  5    Allegretto grazioso 5  5 2 1 2 3 1 2 5  5 3 4 2 No. 6 in A 1   5 MWV U 161     49                                Spring song                    Vol. 5 Page Anhang / Appendix op. 62 Versions 53

(Andante) 4 5 No. 1 in G, V1 1 4 3 5 2 3 1  5 1 3 2 MWV U 185       54 Early setting                        Allegro con fuoco  5 4 4                  1        4 3 No. 2 in Bb                                                   57 MWV U 181                   Early setting                            Allegro con fuoco   5     4           No. 2 in Bb 4     1        4 3           MWV U 181                           60                            Version 3                                  5   Andante maestoso 3 No. 3 in e 3  4 4     1 2 2 MWV U 177 1  63                    Early setting                                   Andante maestoso  3 5 4 No. 3 in e 2 1  2 2 MWV U 177           1 65             Version 3                              4 4     No. 5 in a Andante  4 5 5 2 2 MWV U 151   3    67     1                   Version  3  2              col         5 3    Heft VI / Book VI - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 67, MWV SD 32 69 3 5 5 2 5 4 2 1 5 Andante 1 3 No. 1 in Eb 1 3 1 2 13 70 MWV U 180                                  cresc.   Allegro leggiero  5 4 1 1 3 2 No. 2 in f # 2  2 1  4       73 MWV U 181                                    cresc.   dim. Andante tranquillo     5 4 5 5 1 54 4 3 2 2 No. 3 in Bb    77 MWV U 102                                         Presto 5 5 4 No. 4 in C 3   1 2 1  4 1    79 MWV U 182        Spinner's song                                   Moderato 5 4 5 4  1 No. 5 in b (h) 1 3 2 1 2 2 1 84 MWV U 184    2                5                                Allegretto non troppo 2 4 3 5 5 1 1 5 2    No. 6 in E 2      1   86 MWV U 188                                               Anhang / Appendix op. 67 Versions 89 3 5 No. 1 in Eb Andante 5 2 5 4 1 2 1 5 1 3 13 3 MWV U 180 1 2       90 Early setting                           Allegro di molto No. 2 in f # 1 2 4  1 3 5 2 1  4 MWV U 181    93                  Early setting                                    Quellen & Kommentare / Sources & Comments 96 Content Vol. VI Page Heft VII / Book VII - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 85, MWV SD 46 5 Andante espressivo 2 4 4 1 3 4 3   3 No. 1 in F       6 MWV U 189                           con   Allegro agitato 4 5 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 4  4 2 5 4 4 4 No. 2 in a                        9 MWV U 101                                        Presto  No. 3 in Eb 4  3 5 4 3 4 3 11 MWV U 111                                                     Andante sostenuto 5 5 5 3 4 4 5 1 2 5 4 5 2 2 No. 4 in D 3    2 2 3     2      15 MWV U 190                                           2       5 Allegretto 3 4 3  No. 5 in A  1      2         18 MWV U 191                                           Allegretto con moto 5  3 4 5 4 4 No. 6 in Bb 2 2  2 5   1 1   1   20 MWV U 155                                                                        Anhang / Appendix op. 85 Versions 23

Andante 2 4 3 4 3 No. 1 in F   3 4 1       24 MWV U 189                Version                Allegro do molto 5 4 5 4 5 4 No. 2 in a 5 4  5   4  2  5 4 5 4 4       27 MWV U 101                                             Version 2        Allegro agitato     4 5 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 No. 2 in a   4 2  5 4 5 4 4       MWV U 101               29                 Version 3                         Molto allegro  No. 3 in Eb 4  3 5 4 MWV U 111  31                                   Version                            Andante 3 4 2 No. 4 in D 1 3 4 5 3 5 2 4 5  2 1 1 3 35 MWV U 190       Early setting                    3 2                    1 1    Andante quasi Allegretto 5 3  3 4 5 4 No. 6 in Bb assai leggiero 2 2 1 MWV U 155      1       1     38                    Early setting                                   Vol. 6 Page Heft VIII / Book VIII - 6 Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words op. 102, MWV SD 54 43

Andante, un poco agitato 4 3 4 3  5 4 No. 1 in e                 44 MWV U 162                                        cresc.              5 2 3 3 2 Andante 1 5 No. 2 in D 2             1                     47 MWV U 192                  Presto 1 2 No. 3 in C 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 4 3 4 3  1 MWV U 195          49 Children's piece                         Andante un poco agitato 2 54 No. 4 in g 2     2 5                  2 MWV U 162                 51   1 2  1 2      simile          Allegro vivace 3 4 3 No. 5 in A 4 1 2 1   MWV U 194            54                            Children's piece   Andante 5 3 5 4 3 3 5 5 3 1 5 4 No. 6 in C 2     2 2 3 4 3   57 MWV U 172                                            cresc.  Anhang / Appendix op. 102 Version 5 5 59 Adagio 1 2 2 3 34 3 1 5 2 3 3 No. 2 in D 1 4 2 1 1 1 MWV U 192    60                  Version 2                              

11 Lieder ohne Worte - Einzelstücke / Songs without words - single pieces 62

Allegro 4 4 espressivo 3 3 5 5 5 5 2 4 No. 1 in Eb 4 3 3 1 3 2 1 1 1  oop.    1  63                       MWV U 68                                4 2 5 Andante con moto 5 3 4 1    No. 2 in A, oop. 3 1 MWV U 75           65                    Album leave                 Andante No. 3 in A  oop.            67                   MWV U 76              No. 4 in f #  oop.                     68                                 MWV U 124                  Vol. 6 Page Allegro 5 4 No. 5 in e   2 1 3 1 41     op.posth.117           73 MWV U 134                        2     Album leave     Allegretto non troppo  1 No. 6 in A 1 4 2 3 WoO 10 3                       78 MWV U 136                2  2     Gondola song    1  1      5     Allegretto No. 7 in A oop.            80                  MWV U 138            No. 8 in a Allegretto oop.    83                 MWV U 186                    No. 9 in d Allegro vivace oop.  85 MWV U 187                                            Rider song              cresc.  No. 10 in F oop.           88 MWV U 189                              "Auf fröhliches Wiedersehen / On happy reunion" Allegro moderato No. 11 in A     oop.       90 MWV U 197                                            

Quellen & Kommentare / Sources & Comments 92 Preface to the Mendelssohn Edition

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-47) astounded his surroundings with his extraordinary musical talent. As early as 1818, he performed for the first time as a pianist, first compositions from the year 1820, including two chamber music works with piano. This genre also constituted a center of interest for the young composer in the following years. In the years 1820 to 1825, a total of 13 ammermusikwerke were created, besides, a whole series of fragments is handed over. Only four of these pieces, however, a violinsonate (F minor, op. 4) and three piano quartets (C minor, F minor and B minor, op. 1-3) were published in Mendelssohn's lifetime. He was always very careful with the publication of his compositions, almost half of his works remained unpublished.

Mendelssohn Bartholdy belongs among those composers who enjoyed a comprehensive musical education. From the beginning it encompassed lessons on several instruments, and the study of music theory and composition. In addition to lessons on the violin, from 1815 he studied piano with the Berlin pianist and composer Ludwig Berger (1777–1839), which very early on gave him the skills to perform technically demanding pieces.

Mendelssohn was one of the most talented piano virtuosos of his time. Even during his lifetime, he was legendary for his improvisational skills. During his numerous journeys he played his own piano concertos. He jumped into the orchestra for missing orchestral voices at public performances on the piano, improvised operatic melodies on the piano or played Beethoven symphonies. What he had once heard, never forgot his memory, and he could recall a melody that had once belonged to him and recite it on the piano, including Wagner's Venusberg theme from the Tannhauser, which the composer had suggested to him on the piano but he did not want to show him.

A number of (still unpublished) piano works were composed as early as ca. 1820, and furthermore, all the works published between 1823 and 1827 as op. 1–9 include piano. Clearly his compositional repertoire gradually broadened, but Mendelssohn continued, time and again, to compose solo piano works into his final years. A particularly problematic situation results from the fact that Mendelssohn only gave opus numbers to the works which he published or prepared for publication. Many of his works have thus come down to us without authorized opus numbers. Nevertheless, the opus numbers from 73 onward have long since come into general use

A comprehensive study like this hardly calls for lengthy justification, given both Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s importance as a composer and his neglect by the scholarly and musical world alike, essentially attributable to non-artistic motives.

The present six-volume edition of Mendelssohn’s piano works contains all published works of his compositions for pianoforte, Vol. I-III ordered by opus:

Vol. I - II Piano pieces Vol. III Sonates, Variations, Transcriptions Vol. IV - VI Lieder ohne Worte / Songs without words (3 books per volume)

Included are all the piano works that were published with an opus number during Mendelssohn’s lifetime, along with most of the remaining pieces that were published without opus number. Lastly, the volumes contain some works that went into print only after his death. Mendelssohn’s reticence in regard to publication had two principal explanations. The first concerns compositions written as album leaves, personal dedication copies that from the outset were not intended for publication. The other relates to pieces that did not survive Mendelssohn’s self-criticism, or which the composer found no opportunity to revise for publication. In addition to the opus number, all works are marked with the numbers of the Mendelssohn works catalog (MWV).

The compositions published in volumes I-III were composed between 1824 and 1842, and thus span just under two decades. Thereafter, up until his death in 1847 he only composed more Lieder ohne Worte, some of which were only published posthumously. Thus our edition permits an almost complete overview of the evolution of Mendelssohn’s piano output.

The Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without words) for piano, published in eight books of six pieces each, represent a particular focal point within the creative output of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Book 1 came out in 1832, and book 6, the last collection to be assembled by the short-lived composer himself, in 1845. Books 7 and 8 were published in 1851 and 1868 using pieces from the composer’s extensive estate. The term “Lied ohne Worte” was apparently coined by Mendelssohn himself. The pieces take the conventional song form for voice with piano accompaniment, and adapt it for keyboard alone. Many of them have the character of music for the home, and are within the playing capabilities of accomplished amateurs. The preface to Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without words) contains detailed information.

Mendelssohn was a talented painter too, so each volume of the edition contains watercolors from Mendelssohn hand.

Herausgegeben von / Edited by

Alexej Wilk © 2017 pdf-Noten Wilk, Berlin

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