Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, "Italian"
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

THE STORY

From 1829-31, Mendelssohn undertook a tour of Europe, during which he spent 1830-31 in Italy. He was impressed by the Italian scenery, committing his impressions to watercolors and sketches as well as beginning his Fourth Symphony. In 1831, he wrote to his sister Fanny: “The Italian symphony is making great progress. It will be the jolliest piece I have ever done, especially the last movement.”

The Symphony captures the mood and atmosphere of the land and the people. Mendelssohn fondly called the composition a “blue sky in A major.” He continued revising the work after its 1833 premiere in London, but passed away before completing revisions. The composition was never performed in the composer’s native Germany during his lifetime and was only published in 1851, four years after his death.

LISTEN FOR

• The joyful theme of the first movement, identifiable by the repeated skipping figure introduced by the violins to the accompaniment of bubbling woodwinds, before the whole orchestra joins in the merriment
• The solemn melody of the second movement led by the oboe, bassoon, and strings. and accompanied by a walking bassline
• A flute duet in the finale that is passed on to the violins and drives the movement Mendelssohn called a “sartarello” (after an Italian folk dance that involves fast hops); the flute duet makes one last appearance before the orchestra ends with a fierce flourish

INSTRUMENTATION

Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings

Notes on the music by Emily Shyr