Composer

:

Felix Mendelssohn

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Overture: Concert

Compose Date

:

ca. May 1828

Publication Date

:

1835

First Performance

:

Sep 8, 1828

Average_duration

:

12:03

Felix Mendelssohn composed his "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage in D major, Op. 27" in 1828, when he was just 19 years old. The piece is a cantata for chorus and orchestra, based on two poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It premiered in Leipzig on March 1, 1833, with Mendelssohn conducting. The cantata is divided into two movements, each based on one of Goethe's poems. The first movement, "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage," is a setting of a poem that describes a ship setting sail on a calm sea, with the wind picking up and carrying it safely to its destination. The music begins with a gentle, flowing melody in the strings, which gradually builds in intensity as the winds and brass enter. The chorus enters with the text "Calm sea and prosperous voyage," sung in unison, before breaking into a more complex choral texture. The music alternates between moments of calm and moments of excitement, reflecting the ebb and flow of the sea. The second movement, "The Ocean," is a setting of a poem that describes the power and majesty of the ocean. The music begins with a slow, ominous theme in the low strings, which gradually builds in intensity as the winds and brass enter. The chorus enters with the text "The ocean, the ocean, surges and foams," sung in unison, before breaking into a more complex choral texture. The music alternates between moments of grandeur and moments of turbulence, reflecting the changing moods of the ocean. Overall, Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage in D major, Op. 27" is a masterful example of his skill in writing for chorus and orchestra. The music is both lyrical and dramatic, with a keen sense of pacing and a deep understanding of the texts. It remains a popular work in the choral repertoire to this day.

More....