Unfinished 6th symphony by Felix Mendelssohn (1845)

[Alan Howe]

"Dieser Satz darf durchaus nicht schleppend gespielt werden"

Or: "When played, this movement must absolutely not/never drag."

[gprengel]

I believe the theme would flow much more naturally at a significantly faster tempo, say a quarter = 50 or so.  This way the music counts naturally in quarter notes, matching the time signature

I can't help it but I can't imagine another tempo. I just tried to increase the tempo by 10% and it sounded aweful.
By now I made the instrumentation a bit "fuller" at some instances in the first 4 minutes, especially at bar 64ff. Apart from that I want to leave it as it is. But thank you for your considerations :-)

Gerd

[Ilja]

Gerd, thank you so much for taking this effort. It is great being able to hear this music for the first time. And I can't imagine that it won't be recorded at some point.

[gprengel]

By now I came back to my Mendelssohn 6th symphony project. Many of you had been very positive regarding the first movement but reserved towards the Andante. Well I guess this was due to the very long middle part with various sub-parts. I shortend this now and increased the tempo of the middlepart, so now it was reduced from 14.5 minutes to 11.5 minutes. Would you please try it again and suggest where you would do some further changes? Thank you!

www.gerdprengel.de/Mendelssohn_unfinished_symphony_Andante.mp3
www.gerdprengel.de/Mendelssohn_unfinished_symphony_Andante.pdf

Structure:
0:00   Andante cantabile   main part, melody and bass line sketch by Mendelssohn
2:55   Andante con moto
4:59   4 variations on the main theme
7:11   Reprise
10:00 Coda, final variation of main theme



Gerd

[gprengel]

By now I have shortened the middle part (by almost 3 minutes) and I also increased the tempo of the middle part (from 2:50). Would you please listen to it again (with the link at the top of the thread)?
I still cannot express how much I adore also this Andante cantabile ...

Gerd

[Alan Howe]

Hi Gerd.

To avoid confusion, I think it might be helpful if you provided a new, complete list of the movements as they now stand.

[gprengel]

Oh, I am sorry, Alan, I forgot, that the new structure of the Andante I presented already in February.
So here is the structure of both movements:

I.Allegro

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Mendelssohn_unfinished_symphony1.mp3
http://www.gerdprengel.de/Symphony_in_C_Allegro.pdf

0:00 Exposition
        main theme, score by Mendelssohn
2:02 second theme by Mendelssohn, my orchestration
3:25 Development
5:24 Recapitulation
9:00 Coda

II. Andante cantabile

http://www.gerdprengel.de/Mendelssohn_unfinished_symphony_Andante.mp3
http://www.gerdprengel.de/Mendelssohn_unfinished_symphony_Andante.pdf

0:00   Andante cantabile   main part, melody and bass line sketch by Mendelssohn
2:55   Andante con moto
4:55   4 variations on the main theme
7:06   Recapitulation
9:55 Coda, final variation of main theme

I strongly recommend to listen to the work with headphones...

Gerd

[Alan Howe]

That's very kind of you, thanks!

[gprengel]

By now I have presented the whole symphony project with all 4 movements and full score in YouTube. I have marked here all parts wich are written or sketched by Mendelssohn in yellow colour (besides the first 2 minutes which are compeletly by him): https://youtu.be/U0dFe2nBn_s (see the description there)

Regards
Gerd

[gprengel]

I would like to inform you that I made a new version of this project with an additional sketch by Mendelssohn for a transition to the 2nd theme which I think is very exciting! The tempo of the Andante is a bit faster now. Generally the sound quality is improved.

https://youtu.be/bqEAUr4XmeI?si=56-Czhy6xCSa7IPK

I hope you will like it as I do ...
Gerd