String symphonies (Mendelssohn)

Felix Mendelssohn wrote 12 string symphonies between the years of 1821 and 1823, aged between 12 and 14. For his mature symphonies, see here.

Contents 1 Structure 2 Movements 2.1 No. 1 in C major 2.2 No. 2 in D major 2.3 No. 3 in E minor 2.4 No. 4 in C minor 2.5 No. 5 in B-flat major 2.6 No. 6 in E-flat major 2.7 No. 7 in D minor 2.8 No. 8 in D major 2.9 No. 9 in C minor 2.10 No. 10 in B minor 2.11 No. 11 in F major 2.12 No. 12 in G minor 3 Symphoniesatz 4 References

Structure

Most of the string symphonies were composed in three movements, with the exceptions of nos. 7, 8 and 9, which are in four movements, no. 10 which is in one movement, and no. 11 which is in five movements.^[1]

Movements

No. 1 in C major

1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro

No. 2 in D major

1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro vivace

No. 3 in E minor

1. Allegro di molto
2. Andante
3. Allegro

No. 4 in C minor

1. Grave – Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro vivace

No. 5 in B-flat major

1. Allegro vivace
2. Andante
3. Presto

No. 6 in E-flat major

1. Allegro
2. Menuetto
3. Prestissimo

No. 7 in D minor

1. Allegro
2. Andante amorevole
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro molto

No. 8 in D major

1. Adagio e grave – Allegro
2. Adagio
3. Menuetto
4. Allegro molto

No. 9 in C minor

1. Grave – Allegro
2. Andante
3. Scherzo
4. Allegro vivace

No. 10 in B minor

1. Adagio – Allegro – Piu presto

No. 11 in F major

1. Adagio – Allegro molto
2. Scherzo comodo. Schweizerlied
3. Adagio
4. Menuetto: Allegro moderato
5. Allegro molto

No. 12 in G minor

1. Fuga: Grave – Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro molto

Symphoniesatz

Mendelssohn also wrote a movement for a string symphony in C minor, known as the "Symphoniesatz."

References

Symphonies by Felix Mendelssohn No. 1 in C minor · No. 2 in B flat major (Lobgesang) · No. 3 in A minor (Scottish) · No. 4 in A major (Italian) · No. 5 in D major/D minor (Reformation) · 12 String Symphonies List of compositions by Felix Mendelssohn