*This post is part of a series on a cycle of short piano works by Felix Mendelssohn. Feel free to read the other posts, linked below!*
Lieder ohne Worte (Book 2), Op.30
Lieder ohne Worte (Book 2), Op.30
1. Andante espressivo (E♭) (post)
2. Allegro di molto (b♭)
3. Adagio non troppo (E) (post)
6. Venetianisches Gondellied ("Venetian Gondola Song"), Allegretto tranquillo (f#) (post)
Road map: Like No.1 of this "book," this piece is a condensed ternary form with a coda. The first theme ("A") constitutes the first repeat, and the second theme ("B") starts at the second ending. A modified theme A (modulated phrase ending) bridges the two appearances of theme B. The coda is appended to the end of theme B's second appearance and swiftly concludes this short piece.
The opening figure is interesting for a couple of reasons. The first melody that the ear latches on to isn't a conventional melody -- it's really just a rhythmic figure that happens to be melodic. However, at m. 3, a brief interruption from a middle voice of the piano keys the listener into where the real melody appears in m. 5. The bouncing bass line in m. 5 also changes the intensity of the music — keep looking out for the bass motion as you listen (marked in important spots in the score).
The second strain of the melody begins the same way in m. 9, but a modulation to the relative major (D♭) changes the function of the b♭ in m. 10. The staccato triplets morph into swinging triplets, relaxing the tone. A typical progression around the circle of fifths [vi—ii9—(I64)—V—I], plagal cadence [IV—I], and an authentic cadence with suspension [V9—I] lead right to the repeat as the staccato triplet rhythm picks back up.
The harmonic analysis from mm. 14-17 oversimplifies the action in the music — the lighter red lines indicate where the chord change could either be perceived as two different chords, or just a chord in suspension that is resolved on the upbeat of the triplet. The analysis assumes the first case, but if we apply the second, those four bars can be interpreted with two suspended notes (in thirds) resolving on the third sixteenth note (π π ‘┋π π ‘) in mm. 14-16. Note the doubling in the left hand.
The B section begins at the second bar of the second ending (m. 20) with a swinging rhythm (π π ‘┋π π ‘) indicated by the articulations, even though the notes change on beats 2 and 5 (π ‘π ‘π ‘┋π ‘π ‘π ‘). A temporary tonic (e♭) holds from mm. 19-22, and the motif from those bars repeats in the relative major G♭. The melody switches between the same few chords (V6—V—ii⌀42—vii°7/V—V) several times, hovering around the dominant of F, before we reach the modified theme A. The successive suspensions occur always on the swinging (π π ‘┋π π ‘) rhythm noted earlier.
The first half of the modified theme A is identical to that of the opening of the piece; while the rhythms and voicings of the second half are nearly the same (slightly sparser voicing without thirds on all the suspensions), the chords are cast in the tonic of b♭ minor rather than the relative major D♭. The left hand also doubles the right in the series of suspensions with the swinging (π
π
‘┋π
π
‘) rhythm. The original theme A is shown in relief for comparison — the harmony is not linearly translated from one key to another, but the general flow is the same.
Theme B returns identically, and theme A seems to return identically ... until Mendelssohn foreshadows a modulation to B♭ major using the ♭6 of b♭ minor (G♭ = F#) as the augmented #2 for E♭ major (IV in B♭). The chromatic motion is unlike other material found elsewhere in the piece (the use of accidentals in the analysis was rarely needed before this point).
This sets the piece off on the coda, which has mostly standard cadences with a couple of unusual ones. Mendelssohn makes use of C7, the secondary dominant of F, but rather than a V7/V—V7—I cadence, he quickly brings C7 (V7/V) back to cm7 (ii) via B♭ (I64). He ultimately "resolves" with ii7—V42—I6 (m. 86-87), but the choice use of inversions delays the feeling of resolution (none of these are perfect cadences with chords in root position).
I personally like the tension of the augmented #5 in m. 88 — the combination of the closed voicing in the tenor register and the dissonance between the #5 and ♭7 is exciting at such a fast pace.
Finally, a resolution in m. 93 brings us a perfect authentic cadence, while the bass line bounds away alternating between V and I and the right hand gallops along with triplets. A series of brightly scored suspensions, with octaves in the upper voice, leads to a scalar cascade extending the dominant. Mendelssohn writes a series of resonant B♭ chords to close the second piece. The Picardy ending (major ending to a minor piece) releases the tension built up in the earlier themes.
Thanks for reading, and check back for new posts on the other Lieder soon! Leave your thoughts in the comments below and share this post!
Road map: Like No.1 of this "book," this piece is a condensed ternary form with a coda. The first theme ("A") constitutes the first repeat, and the second theme ("B") starts at the second ending. A modified theme A (modulated phrase ending) bridges the two appearances of theme B. The coda is appended to the end of theme B's second appearance and swiftly concludes this short piece.
The second strain of the melody begins the same way in m. 9, but a modulation to the relative major (D♭) changes the function of the b♭ in m. 10. The staccato triplets morph into swinging triplets, relaxing the tone. A typical progression around the circle of fifths [vi—ii9—(I64)—V—I], plagal cadence [IV—I], and an authentic cadence with suspension [V9—I] lead right to the repeat as the staccato triplet rhythm picks back up.
The harmonic analysis from mm. 14-17 oversimplifies the action in the music — the lighter red lines indicate where the chord change could either be perceived as two different chords, or just a chord in suspension that is resolved on the upbeat of the triplet. The analysis assumes the first case, but if we apply the second, those four bars can be interpreted with two suspended notes (in thirds) resolving on the third sixteenth note (π π ‘┋π π ‘) in mm. 14-16. Note the doubling in the left hand.
Suspensions and resolutions in mm. 14-17
The B section begins at the second bar of the second ending (m. 20) with a swinging rhythm (π π ‘┋π π ‘) indicated by the articulations, even though the notes change on beats 2 and 5 (π ‘π ‘π ‘┋π ‘π ‘π ‘). A temporary tonic (e♭) holds from mm. 19-22, and the motif from those bars repeats in the relative major G♭. The melody switches between the same few chords (V6—V—ii⌀42—vii°7/V—V) several times, hovering around the dominant of F, before we reach the modified theme A. The successive suspensions occur always on the swinging (π π ‘┋π π ‘) rhythm noted earlier.
original theme A (mm. 9-18) in relief
Theme B returns identically, and theme A seems to return identically ... until Mendelssohn foreshadows a modulation to B♭ major using the ♭6 of b♭ minor (G♭ = F#) as the augmented #2 for E♭ major (IV in B♭). The chromatic motion is unlike other material found elsewhere in the piece (the use of accidentals in the analysis was rarely needed before this point).
This sets the piece off on the coda, which has mostly standard cadences with a couple of unusual ones. Mendelssohn makes use of C7, the secondary dominant of F, but rather than a V7/V—V7—I cadence, he quickly brings C7 (V7/V) back to cm7 (ii) via B♭ (I64). He ultimately "resolves" with ii7—V42—I6 (m. 86-87), but the choice use of inversions delays the feeling of resolution (none of these are perfect cadences with chords in root position).
I personally like the tension of the augmented #5 in m. 88 — the combination of the closed voicing in the tenor register and the dissonance between the #5 and ♭7 is exciting at such a fast pace.
Finally, a resolution in m. 93 brings us a perfect authentic cadence, while the bass line bounds away alternating between V and I and the right hand gallops along with triplets. A series of brightly scored suspensions, with octaves in the upper voice, leads to a scalar cascade extending the dominant. Mendelssohn writes a series of resonant B♭ chords to close the second piece. The Picardy ending (major ending to a minor piece) releases the tension built up in the earlier themes.
Thanks for reading, and check back for new posts on the other Lieder soon! Leave your thoughts in the comments below and share this post!
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