Mendelssohn 3 Flashcards
Overview
1829 trip to Scotland inspired by Holyrood ruins. Scottish flavours to these 4 movements (scotch snap and other dotted rhythms plus pentatonic melodies)
Form
4 movements
Mvt 1: Overview
Sonata form with slow introduction - Holyrood theme heard in intro which returns at end of movement
Mvt 2
Scherzo but in Sonata form. Similar in feel to Beethoven 6.3, Scottish folk melody in clarinet but written in 2/4 rather than 1 in a bar 3/4 feel.
Mvt 3
Adagio in abridged Sonata form. Slow, A major emotional melody with a Lieder ohne Worte (“song without words”) cantabile feel. The text of Ave Maria fits with the melody. Homage to Mary, Queen of Scots.
Mvt 4
Sonata form - ‘fast and war-like’ tempo marking. Military feel to movement in A minor with dotted rhythms finishing with more choral A major feel. Darkness to light achieved; Beethoven 5 similarity.
Orchestra
Traditional orchestra but some odd orchestration; strings (apart from viola) don’t appear until bar 17 of movement 1. Cellos have melody for part of movement 3. Clarinet has melody in movement 2.
Humour, drama, narrative & programme
Movements 1 and 4: melancholic and dotted aggressive feel. Movement 2: Scottish lilting scherzo melody and Movement 3: quiet Adagio ‘to text of Ave Maria’.
Melody and theme
Mvt 1: Holyrood intro theme returns at end of Mvt 1. Mvt 2: pentatonic dotted Scottish tune. Mvt 3: Emotional lyrical theme and Mvt 4: A minor to A major
Texture
Mainly mel. dom. hom. with moments of contrapuntal writing - homage to J.S. Bach and Baroque style of writing
Rhythm/Tempo/Metre
Dotted rhythms and Scotch snaps common. Scherzo is in 2/4 rather than 3/4.
Dance, folk & national
Mvt 2: Scottish folk dance feel: Scherzo
Patronage
Subscription concert
Key info
Mendelssohn 3 1842 A minor
