Description
From Op. 102, the last of the eight books of six that make up Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words, this is the third piece. Op. 102 was published after his death; it is one of the collections gathering late pieces, said to have a more introspective colour than the earlier books.
In C major and 6/8, its quietly speaking melody leaves a strong impression, and even in so short a piece the voices are carefully distinguished. It lasts under two minutes, yet a deliberate depth of feeling is carried within its rich number of notes.
It is a short piece at intermediate level. With 1,265 notes in about 1 minute 40 seconds, it packs many notes into a short span, and the challenge is to distinguish the roles of melody, inner voices and bass. The range is F1 to C6. Slow the playback to hear each voice separately and check what each hand carries with the hand colours, and it becomes clear which notes should come forward. Following the voice-leading in the score view also helps.
A broad collection of standalone piano pieces not belonging to any specific set, offering hundreds of varied character pieces to explore and compare.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a leading composer of the German Romantic era, celebrated as a child prodigy and instrumental in reviving interest in the then-neglected music of Bach. His piano cycle 'Songs Without Words' consists of lyrical character pieces that sing without text. This site includes seven pieces from that collection.
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