#eminor

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Prelude and Fugue in e minor Op. 35 no 1. For my second post, I chose a piece by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. My choice was not accidental: thanks to him conducting Bach’s Matthäus-Passion in 1829, the great composer’s music became again part of the concert repertoire.

Something that is true to both this prelude and this fugue is that the composer borrowed certain aspects of Bach’s music, which were appealing to the Romantic Era way of thinking. However, the musical architecture and the polyphonic techniques which Mendelssohn used, are almost identical to Bach’s compositional ideas. The other significant difference is that while Bach wrote the two books of WTC for his era’s keyboard instruments, Mendelssohn wrote this cycle for the piano, so he uses a wide palette of sounds which can be brought out from the instrument. This will be relevant in the case of the following posts too.

The prelude, with the tempo indication Allegro con fuoco, is a romantic, tempestuous echo of the baroque preludes. Turbulent arpeggios surround the main, chorale-like melody, reminding us of Bach’s oratorical works.

The fugue (Andante espressivo) introduces the first subject in a meditative, mysterious tone, until all the four voices join. After the second subject enters, the fugue transforms into a storm of intense emotions, reaching its peak in a solemn chorale. The storm calms down, and the fugue arrives into the warm E major tonality in its coda.

I chose Murray Perahia’s recording, who is considered on of the greatest pianists alive, and, in my opinion, is the best interpreter of Mendelssohn’s music.

He knew he would love her the first time he saw her He knew he would give unto her bosom  all of his loving kindness, all of his respect and understanding  all of his humility and integrity, all of his honor and devotion  all of his protection and admiration, all of his forgiveness and patience  He knew she would be--the life of him

He watched her sleep  It was a passtime he enjoyed secretly... to watch her chest rise and fall, to watch her body relax into love  It was her tattoos he couldn’t resist--the story her body told, and that only he could pore over the details and read her  He was so enamored by her, with her  He vowed her would never lose her  Politely he touched her, lightly -- to not awaken her from her rest  She is real ‘I will always keep her’ he sweared within, suppressing his fear  ‘I deserve her’ And he was sincere

Concerning it,  If it does not make you rich with happiness, with peace, with the kind of feel good you can’t contain It is not a blessing. Not from your Lord.

Concerning it,  If it does not make you rich with appreciation, with gratefulness, with courage to go the way It is not a blessing. Not from your Lord. 

If it does not make you rich with resilience and determination  Rich with health and energy Rich with knowledge and wisdom Rich with strength and freedom

With sensitivity to enjoy sweet things  like sunshine and flowers All the beautiful flavors and colors of this life experience... If it does not stir you to living  but adds sorrow to your thoughts, your feelings, your needs Do not call it a blessing.  Let it go from you.  Your true blessing await. 

Because, decisions made in a heart space amiss will stray the body to an undesirable material place 

Therefore,  counsel the naked beat of your heart to escort your footsteps