F. Mendelsohn "Songs without words"
“Songs without words” can be safely called the pinnacle of all piano music by composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Each of the plays in the collections reveals its own, special image, filled with true lyricism. The name given by Mendelssohn fully justifies itself, for miniatures would be more appropriate to compare with romances, with all the characteristic emotionality and song, only written in an instrumental transcription.
History of creation
The meaning of "Songs without Words" in the composer's work can be easily compared with the meaning of the romance in the heritage of Schubert. The chamber intimacy of the maestro's piano style was very vividly revealed in these miniatures. Having independently created this genre, he repeatedly addressed him throughout his life. Thus, he created eight notebooks of plays. The composer began writing the very first of these as early as 20 years old, at the beginning of his career, inspired by a trip to Italy and Switzerland. The last he completed just two years before his death. Thus, the last two notebooks (op. 85 and 102) were published after the death of Mendelssohn.
It is curious that their origin was largely due to modern art, while at the same time contradicting it. It is known that in the era of Romanticism, instrumental performance expanded its boundaries. It has become more accessible to the audience. Now the spectator becomes interested not only in the theater, but also in a concert stage. In order to achieve fame in this field, any performer needs brilliance and virtuosity to attract attention.
In this connection, the advanced performing technique is getting the broadest development. True, she also has flaws, for all this brilliance and virtuosity sometimes the meaning and depth of the content is lost. Outwardly spectacular works are sometimes devoid of content.
With his miniatures, Mendelssohn was able to prove the opposite, contradicting the features of the concert stage. He deliberately leaves the senseless "fashionable" virtuosity in his plays.
Careful attention to the lyrical miniature was another aspect of the musical life of the time when home music was very popular. Other composers also composed similar works. For example, in the works of John Field, this genre is found.
Hence the "vocalization" of piano music, when the composers tried to draw parallels with the vocal music in their compositions, ensuring that the instrument "sang" and brought them closer to the chamber romance. From this genre borrowed expressive voice, with all its subtle nuances and timbre richness. In addition, the ability to respond to any movement of life was adopted. All these features Mendelssohn managed to translate into their miniatures.
Interesting Facts
- "Songs without words" is a collection of piano miniatures of the type of impromptu or musical moment. There is no uniform program uniting all the plays.
- Despite the lack of a single storyline, there are still several specific groups in the collections that link the plays.
- In total, Mendelssohn wrote forty-eight plays, which were included in eight collections (each containing six).
- There is a version that the impetus for composing miniatures was the work of other composers, namely Field and Thalberg, who also worked in this genre.
- Such piano miniatures later appeared in the works of composers from different countries: Edvard Grieg, Anton Rubinstein, Gabriel Foret and many others.
- It is no coincidence that miniatures were close to romance, because the composer himself composed many works for voice. He wrote more than 80 romances on poems by famous poets Heine, Eichendorff, Lerau, and vocal ensembles. Thus, the composer managed to transfer into his piano music all the emotionality inherent in romances and songs.
- The essential distinctive feature of the composer's music was its accessibility. This allowed him to occupy a special position among his contemporaries. In his works reflected the images of national folklore, as well as modern German literature.
- Researchers of the composer believe that the "Leader" movement, which was very popular at that time, was reflected in "Songs without words".
- Basically, all the "Songs without words" have the character of a chamber romance with instrumental accompaniment (piano and less often a guitar).
Content
Literally, each miniature from "Songs without Words" is a collection of the composer's elegant lyricism, with all the inherent gamut of shades and nuances.
In the center of each of the pieces there is a musical image, the main content of which is in the melody, mostly the upper voice. The rest of the voices are the background, the accompaniment, which only sets off the main melody, making it even more expressive.
Some of the thumbnails are software, as their names indicate: "Spinning song", "Hunting song", "folk song"In addition, in many miniatures there is a genre basis (lullaby, barcarol). Also, the composer makes extensive use of sound-picking techniques (it can be a cheerful murmur of a small stream or a monotonous spinning wheel).
The names of these plays themselves always accurately convey the image and genre of the play. So, in miniature №23, dubbed "Folk Song", alternates instrumental melody, which is based on folk singing and choral party. If the instrumental part is close to the guitar tune, then the choir song material very precisely draws the sound of the choir in front of the audience.
However, most of the plays do not have an individual name, but they are united by a single image: from bright, elegant-sad, to impetuous and aspiring. The tempo separation of the plays is also distinguished: moving, agitated and moderate, elelegic.
For example, plays numbered 4, 9 and 16 just refer to the second type and are samples of light lyric poetry. A detailed analysis reveals the external similarity of these three miniatures: simple two or three particular forms, improvisation, and a chord warehouse.
All of them bear the character of a lyrical narration, where the composer shares his thoughts and experiences. This is achieved due to the slow movement of the main melody, soft accompaniment of the chord warehouse and the prevalence of declamatory, song intonations in the melodic line.
Among all the slow miniatures, the play stands out. №25written in the key of A major. It is a sample of the composer’s light lyrics. The song melody is filled with expressive emotions and has an incredible sincerity. There is no preparatory construction in this play, as in other similar miniatures.
The major mode prevails in the group of this series, the exception is the miniature №35written in C minor. By its nature, it is close to a lullaby.
In miniatures of the second type (mobile, agitated), the proximity to the song of the beginning somewhat recedes into the background. They can be compared with the Schubert impromptu or musical moments. The improvisational instrumental stylistics is fully revealed in these plays.
The play belongs to this group. №10written in C minor and sounding quite excited and passionate. The rhythmic figure of the first measure sets the character and movement of the entire work, with characteristic continuity and aspiration. Working with themes and their development bring this miniature closer to the sonata genre, despite the fact that it lacks strong contrasts and conflicts of themes.
Play №21written in G minor and sounding pretty fast, it is a sample of everyday music. The vocal and instrumental line in this miniature is very prominent. True, the accompaniment would be more appropriately attributed not to piano music, but to guitar. This is indicated by the choice of register, the simplicity of the harmonic sequences and the choice of texture.
Play №32 distinguishes a special choice of expressive means and texture. In no other miniature, the composer managed to achieve such a nobility, to saturate the image of everyday art with a poetic atmosphere. The play is close to the genre of serenade, this is indicated by the peculiar texture and the manner of sound extraction. Staccato touch of the keys gives the listeners the sound of a mandolin.
Among the plays stands a small subgroup, which includes three numbers "Songs of the venetian gondolier". Each of these miniatures has a smooth movement of the eighth, smooth unfolding of the melody, which is a song or in some cases a duet.
Thumbnails №6 and №12 can be compared with the piano arrangement of the traditional, national tune of barcarol in Italy. And here is the number 29 it differs markedly from them in its lyrics, which affects the form, it is somewhat complicated. Much work is being done in this play and with the song material.
“Songs without words” are unique because they differed significantly from modern piano works, distinguished by concert virtuosity. Despite its apparent simplicity and modesty, each of these plays has a peculiar means of musical expression. These miniatures have made a significant contribution to the development of piano music and pianism, having firmly entered the history of world music as one of the brightest examples of lyrical art of its century.
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