Rezension des Werkes F. Mendel''son-Bartol''di i tradicii muzykal''nogo professionalizma, hrsg. von Grigorii I. Ganzburg, erschienen 1995 in Charkov

The unpublished concert aria, "Ch'io t'abbandono," by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1825), is representative of the adolescent composer's developing musical aesthetic. In this study, Mendelssohn's education, work ethic, and perfectionism are revealed, paradoxically, as both the catalysts for the piece's composition and also the reasons it was not published during Mendelssohn's lifetime. An exploration of the text, form, thematic usage, and performance demands of the aria yields specific examples of his uniquely balanced romantic-classicist style. A consideration of possible original performers of the piece, Franz Hauser and Eduard Devrient, leads to further discussion about the nature of the work as both a reflection of Mendelssohn's romantic self-expression and his appreciation for the Baroque melismatic style. The significance of the aria, both stylistic and biographical, is further delineated by a presentation of possible motivations for its composition. The musical setting of the text, as well as the text itself, indicates both Mendelssohn's awareness of himself as a maturing adolescent composer and his desire to be a composer of operatic works, a desire that was never fully realized.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 136 p.; also includes graphics Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-136). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of North Texas, 2006. / System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Accompanied by 4 recitals, recorded Apr. 3, 2000, Sept. 17, 2001, Oct. 13, 2003, and Oct. 24, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-89).

This thesis offers a brief overview of the life and the work of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. It was no coincidence that Robert Schumann called him the Mozart of the 19th century: Being a prodigy from a very early age, he composed with such an unbelievable lightness. Many of his compositions have become an essential part of the world of music nowadays. Equally, his pieces for the cello and the piano, which are dealt with in the second part of the thesis, have their remarkable qualities and they are worth playing.

Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 11, is important primarily as a transitional work. It is the first work in which Mendelssohn deploys large orchestral forces in the traditional form of the symphony; thus, it provided Mendelssohn with the means of making the important transition from the relatively small, chamber-music ensemble in which he had previously worked (as represented by the "string symphonies") to large-scale symphonic works. Its historical or biographical importance definitely outweighs its importance as a musical work in its own right; this can be seen by the fact that it is much less performed today than other symphonies by Mendelssohn. In these later symphonies the composer displays his talents in a more fully developed form. Nonetheless, Symphony No. 1 has many excellent qualities. It has several memorable melodies and shows the working of a vigorous, youthful, though somewhat derivative musical intelligence. It has several brilliant and memorable moments, although considered as a whole it must still be regarded as a work that promises a greater talent than it displays.

The purpose of this study was to analyze for reasons of interpretation the unaccompanied choral music of Felix Mendelssohn. What are the stylistic characteristics in each of the compositions selected for examination in this study? What comparisons and conclusions based on the analyses can be made concerning the character of compositional style in Felix Mendelssohn's unaccompanied choral music? What conclusions can be made concerning the interpretation of Felix Mendelssohn's unaccompanied choral music based on the compositional style of his music and an understanding of his musical attributes?

Not available / text

This thesis is a study of four compositions written by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, older sister of Felix Mendelssohn. Her music is compared with four pieces composed by Felix. This study shows that Fanny was a gifted and creative composer, even surpassing Felix and predating Brahms with her compositional ideas and progressive uses of harmony. Despite her excellent education and recognition among those who knew her well, she did not publicize her talent in any way because of pressure from her father, Abraham, and Felix to stay within the prescribed societal confines of wife and mother.

The following study deals with the structural elements of the six Mendelssohn Organ Sonatas, opus 65. The problem excludes stylistic considerations. The Mendelssohn organ works are the greatest that appeared from the time of J. S. Bach until the nineteenth century. The Sonatas "have long been accepted as 'classics' of the instrument." Of them Mendelssohn himself wrote in a letter to his publisher, "I attach much importance to these Sonatas." They have no formal predecessor and no formal counterpart in subsequent organ literature. Their structures are hybrid, contrasting, unique, and unconventional; yet, to the writer's knowledge, there is no material available which presents a thorough, scientific formal analysis. It is hoped that the following study will fill this need.