Mendelssohn no. 4

What is the melody like in Mendelssohn's piece?

Begins with major third, has three themes, fast triplets in mvt3

What is the texture like in Mendelssohn's piece?

Antiphonal oscillating quavers, contrapuntal Fugato, homorhythmic unison tutti

What is Mendelssohn's treatment of harmony like?

Relatively conservative, frequent use of inverted V chords, cadential 6/4 progression

What is the significance of the Fugal subject in Mendelssohn's piece?

It is a call back to the romantic era and Bach's music, revivifying Bach's music to new audiences

What is the significance of Mendelssohn's admiration for Bach?

He wrote music upon Bach's death to remember him by

What is the instrumentation like in the opening of the 2nd movement?

All instruments playing melody in octaves except lower strings and horns

What is the significance of the V pedal in the 2nd development section?

It lasts for 22 bars and is in F\# minor starting at bar 327

What is the significance of the cadential 6/4 progression?

It is an indication of Mendelssohn's more traditional roots

What are the rhythms that resemble the saltarello dance in bar 2 of the 3rd movement?

Fast triplets

What is the significance of the stretto in bar 251?

Melodic ideas are cut off because of overlap

What is the significance of the homorhythmic unison tutti opening?

It explores interesting ways to double the melody line

What is the significance of the basses and cellos having separate parts?

It adds to the complexity of the piece

What is the significance of the rhythmically augmented development of motif X?

It adds to the texture of the piece

What is the significance of the antiphony in bar 68?

All of the wind is pitted against all of the strings

What is the significance of the melody being in octaves across the Oboe, Bassoon and Viola?

Unusual grouping of instruments

What is the significance of the melody opening in tutti?

It adds to the texture of the piece

What is the significance of the F\#7 3rd inversion at bar 294?

It is an example of Mendelssohn's frequent use of inverted V chords

What is the significance of the introduction of the 3rd theme in the development?

It is contrapuntal and based on a Fugato

What is the significance of the perfect 4th in bar 172?

It is a development of the major 3rd motif

What is the interesting feature of the D minor theme in the 2nd movement?

Lowered 7th, modal melody over conventional harmony

What is the key of Theme B in the 2nd movement, and the key of the third movement?

A Major (the tonic key of this symphony)

What is the unusual progression in bars 13 and 14 of the saltarello movement?

Secondary dominant chord of B7 moving straight to the tonic Am

What is the influence of Mannheim on the piece?

Increased importance of woodwind, chattering accompaniment

What is the characteristic feature of Italian music in the 2nd half of the 2nd subject of the 1st movement?

Played in 3rds by clarinets and bassoons

Who commissioned the piece?

New London Philharmonic Society

What are the programmatic elements related to?

Italian music - Saltarello dance theme, Tarantella theme, Aeolian mode hymn-like theme

What is the structure of the 2nd movement?

Modified sonata form without a development

What is the narrative behind the 2nd movement?

A pilgrimage in Rome

What is the tonality of the 2nd movement?

Dm

What is the theme of the 2nd movement?

Hymn-like D minor theme

What is the structure of Theme A?

Conventional 8 bar phrase

What is the interesting about the tonality of Theme B of the second movement?

We stay in the dominant, A major instead of moving to the parallel major (D)

What is the tonality of the B section in the first movement?

E Major

What is the structure of the first movement?

Development of sonata form with 3 development sections

What is the influence of Bach in the first movement?

Fugal section in the first development section

What is the influence of the 2nd movement?

Czech pilgrim song melody

What is the tonality of the 4th movement?

A minor

What is the dance influence in the 4th movement?

Saltarello with a tarantella theme

What is the purpose of the drones at the beginning?

To support the folk-like feel

When was this symphony written?

1833/1834 (revised)

What happens at bar 249 of the 4th movement?

A minor version of S1 of the first movement appears

What is interesting about the modified sonata form in the first movement?

There are 3 development sections, with the first introducing S3 and a false recap

How long is the coda of the first movement starting at bar 510?

77 bars

At what point is the false reprieve?

Bar 285