MENDELSSOHN – Song Without Words, Op.109 – FOUR CELLOS, OR CELLO SOLOIST WITH CELLO ORCHESTRA

Other Identification:
The Song without Words, Opus 109, was Mendelssohn’s last work for cello and piano, written in 1845 but not published until after his death. It belongs to the large series of Songs without Words which are regular in his compositions from 1830 onwards. All are lyrical miniatures, and the ‘song’ for cello is one certainly of the most memorable.

The eight volumes of Songs Without Words, each consisting of six “songs” (Lieder), were written at various points throughout Mendelssohn’s life, and were published separately. The piano became increasingly popular in Europe during the early nineteenth century, when it became a standard item in many middle-class households. The pieces are within the grasp of pianists of various abilities and this undoubtedly contributed to their popularity. This great popularity has caused many critics to under-rate their musical value. The first volume was published by Novello in London (1832) as Original Melodies for the Pianoforte, but the later volumes used the title Songs Without Words. The works were part of the Romantic tradition of writing short lyrical pieces for the piano, although the specific concept of “Song Without Words” was new.

Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny wrote a number of similar pieces (though not so entitled) and, according to some music historians, she may have helped inspire the concept. The title Song Without Words seems to have been Felix Mendelssohn’s own invention.