Exam 2 Facts about pieces - Mendelssohn and Schumann

Question 1

Mendelssohn / Verleih’ uns Frieden

Answer 1

[1831]

• A Luther Text, but the melody is NOT a pre-existing chorale tune
• Composed in Rome, 1831, during Carnival
• Chorale text by Luther
• Praised by Schumann
• Mendelssohn described it as a “prayer” or “little song”
• “If it resembles Bach, I cannot do anything about it, since I have written it according to how I feel and, if I am inspired by the words as Bach was, then it should be all the better for me.”
  - Felix Mendelssohn

Question 2

Mendelssohn / Wie lieblich sind die Boten (from St. Paul)

Answer 2

[1836]

Question 3

Mendelssohn / He watching over Israel (from Elijah)

Answer 3

[1846]

Question 4

Mendelssohn / “Heilig”
OR - Full title -
Heilig, heilig ist Gott, der Herr Zebaoth

Answer 4

[1846]

• SATB/SATB
• Tends to write in big blocks
• Some imitative polyphony but it is not polyphonic for long before returning to a homophonic texture.

Question 5

Schumann / Zigeunerleben

Answer 5

[1840]

• Percussion instruments (Tambourine and triangle)
• Piano accompaniment - This is unusual for part songs
• “People from Germany imagining what being a gypsy was like”
• Written for “Small choir” - More intimate writing
• There are 4 solos in the piece (one for each part)
• This is really a piece of vocal chamber music