Orchestration of a haunting Scherzo fragment for string quartett by Mendelssohn

[gprengel]

Hello, recently I discovered a wonderful Scherzo fragment for string quartett by Mendelssohn from his last year in 1847 (published posthum as op. 81,3) As it is in a-minor I think I could use this as a Scherzo for my project of Mendelssohn's 6th unfinished symphony in C Major and so I orchestrated it in the last 4 days (actually nights ;-) - I like it a lot ... Would you say it could be used for a symphony Scherzo eventhough it does not have a Trio?

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81.mp3

It would come after the first movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsSbVr-RyqI

and before the Andante

http:// https://youtu.be/dzjXaJBPfBQ


Gerd

[Peter]

Works very well as an orchestral piece and so reminiscent of the Scherzo from a Midsummer night's dream. I'm not sure it would fit into a 6th symphony realisation as it was clearly intended for a different work?

[gprengel]

It was not intended for any known work, but was found after his death as a single work. I included now a Trio, a slow waltz on the basis of 2 less known melodies by Mendelssohn

[Peter]

It was not intended for any known work, but was found after his death as a single work. I included now a Trio, a slow waltz on the basis of 2 less known melodies by Mendelssohn

But I thought it was a string quartet fragment? No matter, it works well as an orchestral piece and it would be fascinating to here the trio!

[Schenkerian]

And speaking of transcriptions, this is very special indeed. I'm a wreck!! Old Arnie really did go back!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZGsNLkHQE4

[gprengel]

And speaking of transcriptions, this is very special indeed. I'm a wreck!! Old Arnie really did go back!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZGsNLkHQE4

Thank you for this hint - very interesting for me !


Peter, I said "fragment" because it is not connected by Mendelssohn to any other work. The connection in op. 81 with other movements was not done by Mendelssohn but after his death by others. But in itsself it is not a fragment at all.

Here now my first version with a Trio on the base of an early piano sonata op. 106 melody (slow movement) and the beautiful song "Schilflied" from op. 71:

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81.mp3

and here my second version on the basis of another wonderful piece ("Cappriccio") from op. 81:

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81-new.mp3


I love both of them ... but which version do you think fits better ?

[Peter]

Thank you for this hint - very interesting for me !


Peter, I said "fragment" because it is not connected by Mendelssohn to any other work. The connection in op. 81 with other movements was not done by Mendelssohn but after his death by others. But in itsself it is not a fragment at all.

Here now my first version with a Trio on the base of an early piano sonata op. 106 melody (slow movement) and the beautiful song "Schilflied" from op. 71:

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81.mp3

and here my second version on the basis of another wonderful piece ("Cappriccio") from op. 81:

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81-new.mp3


I love both of them ... but which version do you think fits better ?

But they're using the same material, I thought your 2nd trio would be different?

[gprengel]

oh, the link was wrong - try again: http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81-new.mp3

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81-new.pdf (new score)
http://www.gerdprengel.de/Scherzo81.pdf (first score)

[Peter]

Thanks Gerd, I think the first version works best. Your orchestration is truly in keeping with the style. How much of the scherzo was sketched by Mendelssohn?

[gprengel]

As you can see in
https://youtu.be/4JthIiKUB_c 2nd movement
the Scherzo is fully from Mendelssohn, also the Trio in the 3rd mov. in the form of a string quartett

[gprengel]

As I have orchestrated the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's op. 81.2 perhaps for my realisation of Mendelssohn's 6th symphony now I orchestrated also the Fugato from string quartett movement op. 81.3 part II. This is, I think, the most furious and wildest piece Mendelssohn ever has written! Could this be the Finale of a symphony? At 0:43 I added an own melody to have also a second, contrasting theme in this movement. Do you think it fits or should I leave this out? At the end I added the main theme of the 1st mov. of the 6th symphony (I call it the "morning theme") in a solemn way to close in a sense a circle for the symphony. What do you think?

www.gerdprengel.de/mend6-4.mp3

[Peter]

I think that fugato theme is very reminiscent of the development section of the finale of Mozart's 40th. The Hebrides overture is wilder! I like your 2nd theme but it depends on what you're aiming at, not sure that you could claim it though as a realisation of his 6th symphony? Is there evidence these fragments were intended for a 6th symphony? Very enjoyable and as usual Gerd a skilful and stylistic orchestration.

[gprengel]

... Is there evidence these fragments were intended for a 6th symphony? Very enjoyable and as usual Gerd a skilful and stylistic orchestration.

No, it was probably not thought for this 6th symphony. But as op. 81 is very neglected and is from the same time (1843-47) as the 6th symphony fragment (1845) I thought it might be a good idea to use it to give the symphony project a fitting ending.

[Peter]

No, it was probably not thought for this 6th symphony. But as op. 81 is very neglected and is from the same time (1843-47) as the 6th symphony fragment (1845) I thought it might be a good idea to use it to give the symphony project a fitting ending.

I see. Do you hear the resemblance to the Mozart?

[gprengel]

Well there is a phrase which Mozart uses twice which you probably refer to at m. 157... but it is still different. Till tomorrow I will present my score. Then you can compare it .... thank you for your interest.