Editor: Todd, R. Larry

Orchestral scoring : piano

Product format: Performance score, Anthology, Urtext edition

Binding: Paperback

Pages / Format: XVIII, 213 – 31,0 x 24,3 cm

Fanny Mendelssohn received a lyrical piano piece as a birthday present from her brother Felix in 1828; he wrote it out in her music album, and she called it Lied ohne Worte (Song without Words). Mendelssohn wrote such songs for piano, true music, which fill a persons soul with a thousand better things than words, throughout his life. He himself saw six collections into print between 1832 and 1845. Two further collections containing pieces from the composers unpublished works were published posthumously.

As suited their character, Mendelssohns Lieder ohne Worte were primarily rooted in domestic music-making in the home, in the middle-class parlours, between comfortable paintings and Biedermeier furnishings. Increasingly they came to be heard in the concert hall. In addition, travelling virtuosi took up these rather reserved pieces, helped popularise them and made them into what they still are today pillars of the repertoire.

This edition includes all the collections printed during Mendelssohns lifetime, together with those published posthumously. The appendix also contains a selection of the Lieder ohne Worte which have survived individually, including two pieces which have not been available in modern editions until now.

The editor R. Larry Todd is regarded as one of the most renowned Mendelssohn scholars. He is well-known for both his numerous editions of the composers works and an extensive monograph.

Matthias Kirschnereit has made a name as a pianist in recent years through his interpretations of Mozart, and particularly for his magnificent recording of Mendelssohn.

– Includes two pieces which have not previously been available in modern editions
– Critical Edition of one of Mendelssohns major works
– Detailed foreword (Eng/Ger), Critical Commentary (Eng) and facsimiles
– With fingerings by the noted Mendelssohn interpreter Matthias Kirschnereit

Preface / Vorwort

Faksimilia / Facsimiles:

Lied ohne Worte op. 19b Nr. 2 (Frhfassung / Early version)

Lied ohne Worte op. 85 Nr. 5 (Album Caroline F. Cavendish)

Lied Es-Dur (Fragment)

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 19b:

E-Dur / E major, Andante con moto

a-Moll / A minor, Andante espressivo

A-Dur / A major, Molto Allegro e vivace

A-Dur / A major, Moderato

fis-Moll / F sharp minor, Piano agitato

Venetianisches Gondellied g-Moll / G minor, Andante sostenuto

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 30:

Es-Dur / E flat major, Andante espressivo

b-Moll / B flat minor, Allegro di molto

E-Dur / E major, Adagio non troppo

h-Moll / B minor, Agitato e con fuoco

D-Dur / D major, Andante grazioso

Venetianisches Gondellied fis-Moll / F sharp minor, Allegretto tranquillo

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 38:

Es-Dur / E flat major, Con moto 36

c-Moll / C minor, Allegro non troppo 40

E-Dur / E major, Presto e molto vivace 42

A-Dur / A major, Andante

a-Moll / A minor, Agitato 50

Duett As-Dur / A falt major, Andante con moto

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 53:

As-Dur / A flat major, Andante con moto

Es-Dur / E flat major, Allegro non troppo

g-Moll / G minor, Presto agitato

F-Dur / F major, Adagio

Volkslied a-Moll / A minor

A-Dur / A major, Molto Allegro vivace

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 62:

G-Dur / G major, Andante espressivo

B-Dur / B flat major, Allegro con fuoco

e-Moll / E minor, Andante maestoso

G-Dur / G major, Allegro con anima

Venetianisches Gondellied a-Moll / A minor, Andante con moto

A-Dur / A major Allegretto grazioso

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 67:

Es-Dur / E flat major, Andante

fis-Moll / F sharp minor, Allegro leggiero

B-Dur / B flat major, Andante tranquillo

C-Dur / C major, Presto

h-Moll / B minor, Moderato

E-Dur / E major, Allegretto non troppo

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 85:

F-Dur / F major, Andante espressivo

a-Moll / A minor, Allegro agitato

Es-Dur / E flat major, Presto

D-Dur / D major, Andante sostenuto

A-Dur / A major, Allegretto

B-Dur / B flat major, Allegretto con moto

Sechs Lieder ohne Worte op. 102:

e-Moll / E minor, Andante un poco agitato

D-Dur / D major, Adagio

Kinderstck C-Dur / C major, Presto

g-Moll / G minor, Andante un poco agitato

Kinderstck A-Dur / A major, Allegro vivace

C-Dur / C major, Andante

Anhang I: Einzeln berlieferte Lieoder ohne Worte / Appendix I: Individual Songs without Words

Es-Dur / E flat major, Espressivo & Allegro (1828)

A-Dur / A major, Andante (1830)

a-moll / A minor op. 19b Nr. 2 (Frhfassung / Early version) [Erstausgabe / First edition]

fis-Moll / F sharp minor, Allegro molto (1836)

A-Dur / A major, Allegretto (1837)

Gondellied A-Dur / A major, Allegretto non troppo (1841)

Ein Lied ohne Worte F-Dur / F major (ca. 1841)

D-Dur / D major, Allego assai (1843) [Erstausgabe / First edition]

Reiter-Lied d-Moll / D minor, Allegro vivace (1846)

A-Dur / A major op. 85 Nr. 5 (sptere Fassung / Later version) [Erstausgabe / First edition]

Anhang II / Appendix II:

Lied Es-Dur / E flat major. Fragment, ergnzt von / completed by R. Larry Todd [Erstausgabe / First edition]

Critical Report