Felix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn - The (Rediscovered) Organ Works (III)

…a continuing our exploration of this great early 19th century musician, with first performances of recently discovered manuscripts.

Program Broadcast dates:

• Week of April 20, 1987

Links and Resources:

• Printable program listings

Music played in the program

Part I

FELIX MENDELSSOHN: Organ “Sonata” in F (diverse movements which represent a presumed ‘early version’ of the later-published Opus 65, no. 1)

MENDELSSOHN: Organ “Sonata” in B-flat (‘early version’ of Opus 65, no. 4)

Part II

MENDELSSOHN: 2 Duet Fugues for Organ

MENDELSSOHN: Organ “Sonata” in D (‘early version’ of Opus 65, no. 5 )

Part III

MENDELSSOHN: Allegro Moderato Maestoso in C

MENDELSSOHN: Allegro, Chorale and Fugue in d/D

--Thomas Murray (and George Faxon, in the duet) play the 1938 Aeolian-Skinner organ at St. Paul’s Chapel of Columbia University in New York City (recorded 11/24/86)

 

These heretofore unpublished movements all date from Felix Mendelssohn’s maturity and were written out in his own hand. Their fortuitous discovery was by University of Virginia Professor William A. Little. He and Yale University organist Thomas Murray ‘unscrewed the inscrutable’ while introducing us to these exceptional, unusual scores. Recordings were made on-location at Columbia University by Michael Barone.

 

Will Crutchfield’s review of the ‘Mendelssohn Premieres’ concert at Columbia University, from which event this program’s performances were drawn, appeared in the New York Times on November 29, 1986 :