Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte, Rondo capriccioso & Variations sérieuses

Featuring

Annette Seiler
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

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Composer Biography

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy had connections to Tyrol, composing works for a Tyrolean patron, Anton Christanell, a merchant and music lover from Schwaz.

Instruments

Conrad Graf's pianos were highly esteemed by famous musicians, including Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, and Franz Liszt.

Compositional Technique

Mendelssohn's 'Songs without Words' use a three-part song form (AbA') where the 'b' section is a variation of 'A', not a contrast.

Instruments

Conrad Graf (1782-1851), the builder of the fortepiano used in this recording, was considered the most renowned Viennese piano maker of his time.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Mendelssohn's 'Songs without Words' are not program music, but rather aim to 'poetize instrumental music' by evoking a poetic atmosphere.

Instruments

The fortepiano by Conrad Graf used in this recording has a six-and-a-half octave range and four pedals for sound differentiation, including two 'moderator' pedals that insert cloth between hammers and strings for a softer sound.