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A.C.: Mendelssohn’s two
Sonatas
stand up well to those of
Beethoven, as do the
Variations
, Op. 17, written much earlier (1829)
than Opp. 45 and 58.
D.S.
: Mendelssohn was a great master of variation form, and Opus 17 is a
magnificent piece, with a perfect structural balance and relationship between the
two instruments, and most original ideas that are typical of this composer. And
yet, unfortunately, the work is not often performed. It is true that Mendelssohn’s
music is essentially joyful and rather positive, and that the romantic period is more
often valued for drama, unhappy loves etc.
G.H.
: Mendelssohn’s music, and this is what I like about this composer, is “rational”
music. Many people are interested only in the spectacular, the excessive. This
was not the composer’s nature. With him everything is just right, nothing extra,
nothing missing, nothing sidelined. I rate the
Variations
, Op. 17, as highly as those
of Beethoven, if not slightly more.
As for the
Songs Without Words
, Op. 109, the only such piece in this category for
cello and piano, or the
Feuillet d’Album
, which completes the recording, these two
touching, pure pieces are at once modest and rich. I discovered this
Feuillet d’Album
in 2009, during Mendelssohn’s bicentennial, in a publication of works for cello and
piano by Henle. This is in fact the edition we used for our recording
22 MENDELSSOHN_COMPLETEWORKS FOR CELLOAND PIANO