*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♭) (post)
3. Adagio non troppo (E) (post)
5. Andante grazioso (D)
6. Venetianisches Gondellied ("Venetian Gondola Song"), Allegretto tranquillo (f#)
This was the first piece of the cycle that I heard several years back (on YouTube), and I later found the others in my recommendations. This fast-paced scherzo is closer to sonata form than the other Lieder. The complete sonata form is comprised of an introduction (usually tonic), an exposition (usually dominant), a development, a recapitulation (usually tonic), and a coda.
The introduction is less than two bars of straight sixteenth notes in 3/8, and the exposition begins at Agitato e con fuoco ("agitated and with fire") immediately setting the tone. While the melody plays, staccato sixteenth notes provide rhythmic energy, interspersed with bass notes on the downbeats.
Mendelssohn modulates pretty quickly, first into f# minor for a short phrase (mm. 12-23), and then into D major for the recapitulated phrase (mm. 24-33; we'll see it again later). I especially like Mendelssohn's clever use of the G-B third (mm. 34-35) to modulate from D major back to b minor smoothly in the first ending.
The start of each phrase is marked with a red arrow, while the middle of each phrase is marked with a maroon arrow. The first phrase is eight bars (mm. 3-10), where the first half (mm. 3-6) is imitated in the second eight-bar phrase (mm. 11-14 [4 bars] of mm. 11-18 [8 bars]).
The development, starting at the second ending (m. 36), is marked off by a phrase in parallel motion. The eight-bar phrase has two "mini-phrases." The first (marked by a red arrow, m. 36) seems to lean into a minor, and the second (marked by a maroon arrow, m. 40) leans into b minor. Note the chord progression in each indicates the exact same harmonic relationships.
The next eight bars have a similar structure, the same phrase in two keys (four bars each) in parallel motion and followed by a two-bar link. The first mini-phrase starts in e minor (V—V7—i6 in e) and the second on C major (VI—V7/VI—VI6 in e or I—V7—I6 in C). There are several ways to interpret this, but the parallelism is apparent from the visual similarity and the identical rhythms.
A series of descending arpeggios takes us from e minor to b minor via the Neapolitan sixth (N6 = C in b minor). A German augmented sixth (Ger+6 = "VI♭7" = G7 [G/B/D/F] written as G with an E# [G/B/D/E#] in b minor) precedes the dominant F#, which alternates with ii⌀42 to raise the tension as the notes travel higher and higher. The tension swirls with undulating scales on F#7♭9 (V7♭9 = F#/A#/C#/E/G) with three key dissonances: between the root and ♭9 (F#/G), the first tritone (A#/E), and the second tritone (C#/G).
The extended F#7♭9 marks the end of the development, transitioning right into the recapitulation, which starts with two instances of the yellow melody back-to-back. Mendelssohn introduces some new material into the recapitulation as well (imperfect sonata form). Three two-bar segments of alternating chords (dominant-tonic function) circling around b minor bridge the first part of the recapitulation to the second. The green melody reappears, ending the recapitulation with a seamless blend to the coda.
The coda begins with another eight-bar phrase, made up of two copies of a four-bar "mini-phrase." The next six bars (in two-bar "mini-phrases") lead to the climax of the piece, admittedly almost at the end of the piece. The dynamic height and tension of the d#°7 and F#7♭9 following it, and the relentless hammering of octave F#s underlining it, build straight to the last phrase of the piece.
A smattering of quickly alternating chords, usually dominant-tonic function pairs (implied functions open to interpretation are marked in parentheses), quickly flutters to the last strain of the opening motif. Hanging onto a tenuto third in the melody, the remaining staccato chords decrescendo as the melody fades out, closing out the final "fast" Lied of this cycle.
Hope you enjoyed reading and listening! Check back for more on the other Lieder in future posts, leave your comments below, and share this post!
All score excerpts taken from the Breitkopf & Härtel edition (Leipzig) via IMSLP.org.
This was the first piece of the cycle that I heard several years back (on YouTube), and I later found the others in my recommendations. This fast-paced scherzo is closer to sonata form than the other Lieder. The complete sonata form is comprised of an introduction (usually tonic), an exposition (usually dominant), a development, a recapitulation (usually tonic), and a coda.
The introduction is less than two bars of straight sixteenth notes in 3/8, and the exposition begins at Agitato e con fuoco ("agitated and with fire") immediately setting the tone. While the melody plays, staccato sixteenth notes provide rhythmic energy, interspersed with bass notes on the downbeats.
Mendelssohn modulates pretty quickly, first into f# minor for a short phrase (mm. 12-23), and then into D major for the recapitulated phrase (mm. 24-33; we'll see it again later). I especially like Mendelssohn's clever use of the G-B third (mm. 34-35) to modulate from D major back to b minor smoothly in the first ending.
The start of each phrase is marked with a red arrow, while the middle of each phrase is marked with a maroon arrow. The first phrase is eight bars (mm. 3-10), where the first half (mm. 3-6) is imitated in the second eight-bar phrase (mm. 11-14 [4 bars] of mm. 11-18 [8 bars]).
The development, starting at the second ending (m. 36), is marked off by a phrase in parallel motion. The eight-bar phrase has two "mini-phrases." The first (marked by a red arrow, m. 36) seems to lean into a minor, and the second (marked by a maroon arrow, m. 40) leans into b minor. Note the chord progression in each indicates the exact same harmonic relationships.
The next eight bars have a similar structure, the same phrase in two keys (four bars each) in parallel motion and followed by a two-bar link. The first mini-phrase starts in e minor (V—V7—i6 in e) and the second on C major (VI—V7/VI—VI6 in e or I—V7—I6 in C). There are several ways to interpret this, but the parallelism is apparent from the visual similarity and the identical rhythms.
A series of descending arpeggios takes us from e minor to b minor via the Neapolitan sixth (N6 = C in b minor). A German augmented sixth (Ger+6 = "VI♭7" = G7 [G/B/D/F] written as G with an E# [G/B/D/E#] in b minor) precedes the dominant F#, which alternates with ii⌀42 to raise the tension as the notes travel higher and higher. The tension swirls with undulating scales on F#7♭9 (V7♭9 = F#/A#/C#/E/G) with three key dissonances: between the root and ♭9 (F#/G), the first tritone (A#/E), and the second tritone (C#/G).
A smattering of quickly alternating chords, usually dominant-tonic function pairs (implied functions open to interpretation are marked in parentheses), quickly flutters to the last strain of the opening motif. Hanging onto a tenuto third in the melody, the remaining staccato chords decrescendo as the melody fades out, closing out the final "fast" Lied of this cycle.
Hope you enjoyed reading and listening! Check back for more on the other Lieder in future posts, leave your comments below, and share this post!
All score excerpts taken from the Breitkopf & Härtel edition (Leipzig) via IMSLP.org.
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