Can you recognize Mendelssohn by ear?
Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) was a German Romantic composer, known for the Violin Concerto in E minor, the Italian Symphony and A Midsummer Night's Dream. In Guess the Composer, you hear up to 30 seconds of music and name the composer.
How to recognize Mendelssohn
Listen for light, quick, transparent textures, especially fleet scherzos that seem to skim the surface. Lyrical melodies sit inside neat, almost Classical forms, with far less turmoil than most Romantic music.
Who can Mendelssohn be mistaken for?
Listeners may confuse this music with that of Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert or Carl Maria von Weber.
How hard is Mendelssohn in the game?
The game has up to 134 excerpts by Mendelssohn, depending on your country, and most are at the Hard level.
Pieces you may hear
- Fingal's Cave Overture, Op. 26
- Lieder ohne Worte, op. 62
- Ein Sommernachtstraum, op. 61
- Symphony no. 4 in A major, op. 90 “Italian”
- Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appasionato / II. Andante / III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
- Octet in E-flat major, op. 20
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in G minor, op. 25
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in D minor, op. 40
Portrait: Eduard Magnus, Public domain; background removed.
