String symphonies (Mendelssohn)


wrote twelve string symphonies between 1821 and 1823, when he was between 12 and 14 years old.. These symphonies were tributes to early Classical symphonies especially by Joseph Haydn, Johann Christian Bach, Carl Philip Emanuel Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Instrumentation

The string symphonies are written for a string orchestra. String Symphony No. 11 also contains percussion in the second movement.

Structure

Most of the string symphonies were composed in three movements, with the exceptions of nos. 7, 8 and 9, which are in four movements, no. 10 which is in one movement, and no. 11 which is in five movements.

No. 1 in C major

  1. Allegro
  2. Andante
  3. Allegro

    No. 2 in D major

  4. Allegro
  5. Andante
  6. Allegro vivace

    No. 3 in E minor

  7. Allegro di molto
  8. Andante
  9. Allegro

    No. 4 in C minor

  10. Grave – Allegro
  11. Andante
  12. Allegro vivace

    No. 5 in B-flat major

  13. Allegro vivace
  14. Andante
  15. Presto

    No. 6 in E-flat major

  16. Allegro
  17. Menuetto
  18. Prestissimo

    No. 7 in D minor

  19. Allegro
  20. Andante amorevole
  21. Menuetto
  22. Allegro molto

    No. 8 in D major

  23. Adagio e grave – Allegro
  24. Adagio
  25. Menuetto
  26. Allegro molto
Mendelssohn also created an arrangement of this symphony that included wind, brass, and timpani. Known as Symphony in D major, MWV.N.8, it was composed in 1822 when the composer was only 13 years old; Mendelssohn completed the expanded orchestration by himself.
The work is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani in D and A, and strings. A typical performance lasts half an hour.

No. 9 in C major

  1. Grave – Allegro
  2. Andante
  3. Scherzo
  4. Allegro vivace

    No. 10 in B minor

  5. Adagio – Allegro – Piu presto

    No. 11 in F major

  6. Adagio – Allegro molto
  7. Scherzo comodo. Schweizerlied
  8. Adagio
  9. Menuetto: Allegro moderato
  10. Allegro molto

    No. 12 in G minor

  11. Fuga: Grave – Allegro
  12. Andante
  13. Allegro molto

    Symphoniesatz

Mendelssohn also wrote a single movement, Grave – Allegro molto, for a string symphony in C minor, known as the Symphoniesatz.