This week’s selection was written by Mendelssohn when he was just 17 years old.  The year was 1826 – a century after Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto that we heard last time.  Mendelssohn lived in the early part of the Romantic era from 1809 to 1847.  It was a time when orchestras were much larger than in Bach’s day, and they included brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments as well as strings.  Today’s piece was intended to be played between scenes of William Shakespeare’s play called A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Near the end of the play there is a triple wedding for 3 of the couples in the story and this music is played as they leave.  That’s why many people use this music for their own weddings. 

Felix Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Moscow City Symphony (listen here now)

Special Features

• This exciting march begins with the famous fanfare for 3 trumpet players playing first just one note – then two notes – and finally all three notes of a C major triad – almost as if Mendelssohn was introducing the three couples by giving each of them their own trumpet note. 

• The tempo is steady all the way through because it’s a march, but the dynamics change. The first and last sections are quite loud, and include the brass, woodwinds, and percussion, but the middle section is almost entirely strings and has a much more gently flowing style. 

• In the middle section, the cello and first violin sections have a beautifully flowing quarter note melody here, while the middle violins and violas provide the rhythmic accompaniment by keeping the steady eighth note rhythms.  In fact, if you look closely at the players, you can actually hear better what part they are playing.  The violins and violas in the middle of the stage that play the rhythm only use a bit of their bows and move them back and forth more quickly on the strings, while the players on the outside of the stage who play the melody use all of their bows and move them from end to end more slowly. 

• During the last section, listen to how Mendelssohn adds excitement by having woodwind instruments such as clarinet and flute do rapid trills back and forth between two very high notes while other instruments play the main theme which is much lower.  The Kettle Drums (Timpani) and Cymbals add accents occasionally, and that especially contribute to the impressive and powerful finish.  

Important Tip – the more times you listen to the recording, the more details you will notice.

Go to youtube.com and enter the following link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIM5cWB2wmM

Other video recordings to compare:

• Claudio Abbado conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

• Andre Rieu leading his own orchestra while playing violin

What differences do you notice in these recordings?  Which do you like best?  Why do you like it best?