Canon
Where to start with Mendelssohn
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
OrchestralA Midsummer Night's Dream, op. 61
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ChamberString Octet in E flat major, op. 20
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KeyboardAndante and Rondo capriccioso
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VocalElijah, op. 70 — Oratorio
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OrchestralSymphony no. 3 in A minor, op. 56, "Scottish"
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OrchestralSymphony no. 4 in A, op. 90, "Italian"
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OrchestralViolin Concerto in E minor, op. 64
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 1 in G minor, op. 25
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ChamberPiano Trio no. 1 in D minor, op. 49
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KeyboardSongs without Words, Book 5, op. 62
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ChamberString Quartet no. 2 in A minor, op. 13
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ChamberString Quartet no. 6 in F minor, op. 80
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ChamberString Quintet no. 2 in B flat major, op. 87
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OrchestralSymphony no. 5 in D minor, op. 107, "Reformation"
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OrchestralThe Hebrides: Overture in B minor, op. 26, "Fingal's Cave"
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Mendelssohn's catalogueMost Popular
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Violin Concerto in E minor
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A Midsummer Night\’s Dream — Overture & Wedding March
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Symphony No. 4 ”Italian”
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Songs Without Words (piano)
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Octet for Strings in E-flat
Most Acclaimed
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Octet for Stringswritten at 16 — the most extraordinary first work in the chamber repertoire
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String Quartet No. 6 in F minorwritten after his sister Fanny’s death — his last work
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Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor
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Elijah (oratorio)
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Symphony No. 3 ”Scottish”
Most Weird
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String Quartet No. 6 in F minor Op. 80written after Fanny’s sudden death — grief-stricken, uncharacteristically harsh; he died six months after finishing it
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String Quartet No. 2 in A minorearly, intensely dark — not the Mendelssohn everyone knows
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Die erste Walpurgisnachtcantata — pagan witches’ sabbath on the Brocken; genuinely menacing
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Piano Sonata in E major Op. 6early sonata — more Beethovenian than anything he later wrote
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Variations sérieuses Op. 54most serious piano work he wrote — uncharacteristic gravity
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 267
- Orchestral
- ● A Midsummer Night's Dream, op. 61
- ● Symphony no. 3 in A minor, op. 56, "Scottish"
- ● Symphony no. 4 in A, op. 90, "Italian"
- ● Violin Concerto in E minor, op. 64
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in G minor, op. 25
- Symphony no. 5 in D minor, op. 107, "Reformation"
- The Hebrides: Overture in B minor, op. 26, "Fingal's Cave"
- Antigone, incidental music, op. 55
- Athalie, op. 74 — Incidental music
- Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, overture in D major, op. 27
- Capriccio brillant for Piano and Orchestra in B minor, op. 22
- Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in A flat major
- Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in E
- Concerto for Piano, Violin, and String Orchestra in D minor
- March in D, op. 108, "Cornelius"
- Meerestille und glückliche Fahrt, op. 27
- Oedipus in Kolonos, incidental music, op. 93
- Overture for Wind Instruments in C, op. 24, "Harmoniemusik"
- Overture in C, op. 101, "Trumpet"
- Overture in E, op. 32, "Fair Melusina"
- Piano Concerto in A minor
- Piano Concerto in E minor
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in D minor, op. 40
- Rondo brillant, for piano and orchestra in E flat major, op. 29
- Ruy Blas, overture in C minor, op. 95
- Serenade and Allegro giocoso, for Piano and Orchestra in B minor, op. 43
- Sinfonia no. 1 in C major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 10 in B minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 11 in F major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 12 in G minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 13 in C minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 2 in D major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 3 in E minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 4 in C minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 5 in B flat major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 6 in E flat major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 7 in D minor, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 8 in D major, for string orchestra
- Sinfonia no. 9 in C, for string orchestra, "Swiss"
- Symphonic Movement in C minor
- Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 11
- Symphony no. 2 in B flat major, op. 52, "Lobgesang"
- Violin Concerto in D minor
- Chamber
- ● String Octet in E flat major, op. 20
- Piano Trio no. 1 in D minor, op. 49
- String Quartet no. 2 in A minor, op. 13
- String Quartet no. 6 in F minor, op. 80
- String Quintet no. 2 in B flat major, op. 87
- 12 Fugues for String Quartet
- 4 Pieces for String Quartet, op. 81
- Allegro for Violin and Piano in C
- Andante for Violin and Piano in D minor
- Assai tranquillo, for cello and piano
- Capriccio for String Quartet in E minor, op. 81, no. 3
- Cello Sonata no. 1, op. 45
- Cello Sonata no. 2, op. 58
- Clarinet Sonata in E flat major
- Concert Piece for Clarinet, Basset Horn and Piano no. 1 in F major, op. 113
- Concert Piece in D minor for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano, op. 114
- Contemplation: Romance sans parole, for flute and piano
- Flute Sonata in F
- Fugue for Violin and Piano in C minor
- Fugue for Violin and Piano in D minor
- Lied ohne Worte, for cello and piano, op. 109
- Movement for Violin and Piano in G minor
- Piano Quartet no. 1 in C minor, op. 1
- Piano Quartet no. 2 in F minor, op. 2
- Piano Quartet no. 3 in B minor, op. 3
- Piano Trio no. 2 in C minor, op. 66
- Sextet for Violin, 2 Violas, Cello, Double Bass and Piano in D major, op. 110
- Sonata Movement in G minor, for 2 pianos
- Sonata in D major, for 2 Pianos
- String Quartet in E flat major, op. posth.
- String Quartet no. 1 in E flat major, op. 12
- String Quartet no. 3 in D major, op. 44, no. 1
- String Quartet no. 4 in E minor, op. 44, no. 2
- String Quartet no. 5 in E flat major, op. 44, no. 3
- String Quintet no. 1 in A major, op. 18
- Variations and Scherzo
- Variations concertantes, for cello and piano, op. 17
- Viola Sonata in C minor
- Violin Concerto
- Violin Sonata in E minor
- Violin Sonata in F
- Violin Sonata in F
- Violin Sonata in F
- Violin Sonata in F major, MWVQ26
- Violin Sonata in F minor, op. 4
- Keyboard
- Andante and Rondo capriccioso
- Songs without Words, Book 5, op. 62
- 2 Klavierstücke
- 2 Pieces
- 3 Caprices, op. 33
- 3 Etudes, op. 104b
- 3 Fantasias or Caprices, op. 16
- 3 Fantasies or Caprices, op. 16
- 3 Little Pieces
- 3 Preludes and Fugues, op. 37
- 3 Preludes for piano, op. 104a
- 4 Little Pieces for Organ
- 5 Little Pieces
- 6 Children's Songs, op. 72, "Christmas Songs"
- 6 Organ Sonatas, op. 65
- 6 Preludes and Fugues, op. 35
- 7 Character Pieces, op. 7
- Adagio and Presto agitato in B flat minor
- Albumblatt in A
- Albumblatt in E minor, op. 117
- Allegretto in A
- Allegro brillant in A major, for piano 4-hands, op. 92
- Allegro in B flat major
- Allegro maestoso in C
- Allegro, Chorale, and Fugue in D
- Andante alla marcia in B flat major
- Andante cantabile and Presto agitato in B
- Andante con moto in G minor
- Andante in A
- Andante in D
- Andante in D major, MWV W32
- Andante in F
- Andante in G minor
- Andante sostenuto in D
- Capriccio in E flat major/Eb-
- Capriccio in E major, op. 118
- Capriccio in F sharp minor, op. 5
- Chorale in A flat major
- Chorale in D
- Etude in F minor
- Fantasia in C minor and D major
- Fantasy in F sharp minor, op. 28, "Scottish Sonata"
- Fantasy on The Last Rose of Summer' in E major, op. 15
- Fughetta in A
- Fughetta in D
- Fugue in A
- Fugue in B flat major
- Fugue in C
- Fugue in E minor
- Fugue in F minor
- Gondollied in A, "Barcarole"
- Kleines Lied in A
- Lied in A
- Lied ohne Worte in E flat major
- Lied ohne Worte in F sharp minor
- March in C
- Nachspiel in D
- Ostinato in C minor
- Passacaglia in C minor
- Perpetuum Mobile in C major, op. 119
- Piano Sonata in B flat major, op. 106
- Piano Sonata in E major, op. 6
- Piano Sonata in G minor, op. 105
- Piano Sonatina in E
- Praeludium in C minor
- Prelude and Fugue in E minor
- Prelude in C minor
- Rondo capriccioso in E major, op. 14
- Scherzo and capriccio in F sharp minor
- Scherzo in B minor
- Scherzo in E minor, op. 16, no. 2
- Song in E flat major
- Song without Words in D minor, "Reiterlied"
- Song without Words in F
- Songs without Words, Book 1, op. 19b
- Songs without Words, Book 2, op. 30
- Songs without Words, Book 3, op. 38
- Songs without Words, Book 4, op. 53
- Songs without Words, Book 6, op. 67
- Songs without Words, Book 7, op. 85
- Songs without Words, Book 8, op. 102
- Theme with variaitons in D
- Trauermarsch in A minor, op. 103
- Variations brillantes on march from C.M. von Weber's Preciosa, for piano
- Variations in B flat major, for piano 4-hands, op. 83a
- Variations in B flat major, op. 83
- Variations in E flat major, op. 82
- Variations sérieuses in D minor, op. 54
- Wie die Zeit läuft!, for piano
- Wie gross ist des Allmacht'gen Gute
- Vocal
- Elijah, op. 70 — Oratorio
- 12 Songs, op. 8
- 12 Songs, op. 9
- 2 Geistliche Lieder, op. 112
- 2 Romances
- 2 Sacred Choruses, for male chorus, op. 115
- 2 Songs
- 3 Folksongs
- 3 Motets, for female chorus, op. 39
- 3 Motets, for soloists and chorus, op. 69, "English Church Pieces"
- 3 Psalms, for soloists and double chorus, op. 78
- 3 Sacred Pieces, for soloists, chorus and organ, op. 23
- 3 Songs, op. 77
- 3 Songs, op. 84
- 4 Lieder, for male chorus, op. 75
- 6 Anthems for double chorus, op. 79
- 6 Duets, op. 63
- 6 Lieder, for chorus, op. 41
- 6 Lieder, for chorus, op. 48
- 6 Lieder, for chorus, op. 59
- 6 Lieder, for chorus, op. 88
- 6 Lieder, for male chorus, op. 50
- 6 Songs, op. 19a
- 6 Songs, op. 34
- 6 Songs, op. 47
- 6 Songs, op. 57
- 6 Songs, op. 71
- 6 Songs, op. 86
- 6 Songs, op. 99
- Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh' darein, chorale cantata for soloists, chorus, and orchestra
- An die Künstler, festival song for male chorus and brass, op. 68
- Ave maris stella
- Cantique pour l'Eglise wallonne de Francfort, for 4 voices
- Christe, du Lamm Gottes, chorale cantata for chorus and orchestra
- Christus, op. 97
- Des Mädchens Klage
- Die Erste Walpurgisnacht, cantata for chorus and orchestra, op. 60
- Die deutsche Liturgie, for double chorus
- Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe, for double chorus
- Ersatz für Unbestand, song for male voices, "Lieblich mundet der Becher Wein"
- Festgesang for the Gutenberg Festival
- Geistliches Lied, for voice, chorus and organ in E flat major
- Gloria in E flat major for soloists, chorus and orchestra
- Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
- Hear my Prayer, hymn for soprano, chorus, and organ
- Heilig, Heilig ist Gott, der Herr Zebaoth, for double chorus
- Heimkehr aus der Fremde, op. 89, MWV L6
- Herr Gott, dich loben wir, for soloists, double chorus, 4 trombones, strings and organ
- Hora est in G minor/A, for 16 voices and organ
- Hymn for alto, chorus and orchestra or organ, op. 96
- Hör mein Bitten
- Im Süden, song for male chorus, op. 120, no. 3, "Süsse Düfte, milde Lüfte"
- Infelice, concert aria for soprano and orchestra, op. 94
- Jagdlied, song for male chorus, op. 120, no. 1, "Auf, ihr Herrn und Damen schön!"
- Jesu, meine Freude, chorale cantata for chorus and strings
- Jube Domine, for soloists and double chorus in C
- Kyrie, for soloists and double chorus
- Lauda Sion, for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, op. 73
- Lob der Trunkenheit, song for male chorus, "Trunken müssen wir alle sein"
- Lord! my heart's devotion raises, for voice, chorus and organ
- Magnificat in D major, for soloists, chorus and orchestra
- Nachtgesang, song for male chorus, "Schlummernd an des Vaters Brust"
- O Haupt Voll Blut und Wunden, chorale cantata for voice, chorus, and orchestra in C minor
- O beata et benedicta, for 3 sopranos and organ, "Zum Feste der Dreieinigkeit"
- Paulus, op. 36 — Oratorio
- Psalm 100, for chorus, "Jauchzet dem Herrn, Alle Welt"
- Psalm 114, for double chorus and orchestra, op. 51, "When Israel out of Egypt came"
- Psalm 115, for soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 31, "Non Nobis, Domine"
- Psalm 31, for chorus, "Defend me, Lord"
- Psalm 42,, for chorus, soloists, and orchestra, op. 42, "Wie der Hirsch schreit"
- Psalm 5, for chorus, "Lord hear the voice"
- Psalm 91, motet for double chorus, "Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen über dir"
- Psalm 95, for tenor, chorus and orchestra, op. 46, "Come, let us sing"
- Psalm 98, for soloists, chorus, orchestra and organ in D major, op. 91, "Sing to the Lord"
- Psalm Melodies and Harmonizations for chorus
- Responsorium et Hymnus, for male chorus, cello, double bass and organ or orchestra, op. 121
- Salve Regina, for soprano and strings
- Te Deum for soloists, chorus and organ
- Trauer-Gesang, song for chorus, op. 116, "Sahst du ihn hernieder schweben"
- Tu es Petrus, for 5 voices and orchestra, op. 111
- Verleih' uns Frieden in E flat major, prayer for chorus and organ
- Vom himmel hoch
- Weib gesang zur Trauerfeier von Goethe, MWVG9
- Weihnachtslied, song for voice and piano, "Auf schicke dich recht feierlich"
- Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, chorale cantata for soloist, chorus, and strings in A minor
- Wir glauben all' an einen Gott, chorale cantata for chorus and orchestra
- Zigeunerlied, song for male chorus, op. 120, no. 4, "Im Nebelgeriesel"
- Stage
- Die Hochzeit des Camacho, op. 10 — Opera
- Die beiden Neffen oder Der Onkel aus Boston — Opera