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Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21

Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 21
Felix Mendelssohn
(b. February 3, 1809  in Hamburg; d. November 4, 1847 in Leipzig)

Felix Mendelssohn was more than just a composer. He had a talent for drawing and a profound love for classical literature. His translation of Terence's "Andria" was published in 1825. The overture’s opus number 21 bespeaks his substantial catalog of compositions already finished. Thus, his  finely-crafted Overture Op. 21, is less a miraculous creation of a seventeen year-old than it is a composition of an already mature composer in full command of his powers.

Four gossamer, unhurried wind chords—a fairy fanfare—precede the scampering fairies set loose on the world.  Regal music suitable for the Athenian court wedding that is the backdrop of the play leads to a second theme that is the lovers bewitched by the fairies.  The character Bottom brays like a jackass in Mendelssohn's interpretation.  Scampering fairies dominate the development section that comes to a pensive standstill before the fairy fanfare returns—the beginning of the recapitulation.  In the coda the fairies scamper back home.  The opening fanfare is also the closing.  Fairy mischief ends with the dawn.

Felix’s name derives from Latin, happy or fortunate, and fits Mendelssohn perfectly. He lived most of his life with joy and excitement until the death of his beloved sister Fanny at age 41 in May 1847. His own death soon followed in November of the same year.

Mendelssohn’s overture fits the story of Shakespeare’s play but was written first and foremost as a concert piece. Near the end of his life Mendelssohn wrote incidental music for a performance of the play and reused the overture to begin it. The incidental music includes Mendelssohn’s ubiquitous “Wedding March.”

© 2010, 2015, 2023 by Steven Hollingsworth, Creative Commons Public Attribution 3.0 United States

 

Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21

Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 21
Felix Mendelssohn
(b. February 3, 1809  in Hamburg; d. November 4, 1847 in Leipzig)

Felix Mendelssohn was more than just a composer. He had a talent for drawing and a profound love for classical literature. His translation of Terence's "Andria" was published in 1825. The overture’s opus number 21 bespeaks his substantial catalog of compositions already finished. Thus, his  finely-crafted Overture Op. 21, is less a miraculous creation of a seventeen year-old than it is a composition of an already mature composer in full command of his powers.

Four gossamer, unhurried wind chords—a fairy fanfare—precede the scampering fairies set loose on the world.  Regal music suitable for the Athenian court wedding that is the backdrop of the play leads to a second theme that is the lovers bewitched by the fairies.  The character Bottom brays like a jackass in Mendelssohn's interpretation.  Scampering fairies dominate the development section that comes to a pensive standstill before the fairy fanfare returns—the beginning of the recapitulation.  In the coda the fairies scamper back home.  The opening fanfare is also the closing.  Fairy mischief ends with the dawn.

Felix’s name derives from Latin, happy or fortunate, and fits Mendelssohn perfectly. He lived most of his life with joy and excitement until the death of his beloved sister Fanny at age 41 in May 1847. His own death soon followed in November of the same year.

Mendelssohn’s overture fits the story of Shakespeare’s play but was written first and foremost as a concert piece. Near the end of his life Mendelssohn wrote incidental music for a performance of the play and reused the overture to begin it. The incidental music includes Mendelssohn’s ubiquitous “Wedding March.”

© 2010, 2015, 2023 by Steven Hollingsworth, Creative Commons Public Attribution 3.0 United States