Composer

:

Felix Mendelssohn

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Fugue

Compose Date

:

Dec 3, 1834 - Nov 19, 1836

Publication Date

:

1837

Average_duration

:

7:40

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Felix Mendelssohn's Prelude & Fugue for piano in F minor, Op. 35/5, was composed in 1837 and premiered in Leipzig the same year. The piece is part of a set of six preludes and fugues, which were inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. The Prelude is marked Allegro con fuoco and begins with a fiery and dramatic theme in the right hand, accompanied by a pulsing left-hand accompaniment. The theme is then developed and expanded upon, with the left hand taking on a more prominent role. The middle section of the Prelude is more lyrical and introspective, with a flowing melody in the right hand and a gentle accompaniment in the left. The opening theme returns, and the Prelude ends with a virtuosic flourish. The Fugue is marked Andante espressivo and begins with a solemn and majestic theme in the bass, which is then taken up by the upper voices. The theme is then subjected to a series of contrapuntal treatments, with each voice entering in turn. The middle section of the Fugue is more animated, with a faster tempo and more complex counterpoint. The opening theme returns, and the Fugue ends with a powerful and triumphant coda. Overall, Mendelssohn's Prelude & Fugue for piano in F minor, Op. 35/5, is a masterful example of his skill as a composer and his reverence for the music of Bach. The piece is characterized by its virtuosic piano writing, its dramatic contrasts of mood and tempo, and its intricate and sophisticated counterpoint.

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