Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
 
Ein Sommernachtstraum. Ouvertüre op.21
 
A Midsummer Night's Dream. Overture op.21

Autograph, Biblioteka Jagiellońska, Kraków
Commentary by / Kommentar von Friedhelm Krummacher


Documenta Musicologica II/41
27 x 37 cm, xiii, 60, 57 pp. 
ISBN 978-7618-2116-9  Reduced Price: $189 (reg.$440)
  

Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night's Dream,
                              1

 
  


Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night's
                                  Dream, 2
    
Full-color facsimile of the elegant fair copy autograph score (formerly Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, Mus. ms. autogr. Mendelssohn 21), and monochrome reproduction of a fragmentary autograph score (Bodleian Library, Ms. Deneke-Mendelssohn B 5)—the only surviving sources of the overture. This work of youthful genius was written in 1826 during a carefree summer spent at the summer house among his siblings at a time when the composer became immersed in the works of Shakespeare through Schegel and Tieck translations. An enchanted night, virtually fragrant dreams, floating fairies – the sensory associations evoked and fashioned by the music of Mendelssohn’s overture A Midsummer Night’s Dream are almost inexhaustible. This is without doubt Mendelssohn’s most popular concert overture.

  
The score is innovative as well, for example, in the ordering in the instruments—proceeding woodwinds, percussion, strings, with the bass fiddle at the bottom—, though peculiar for the time, coincides with modern accepted convention. The autograph score also calls for the rare "corno inglese di basso", usually substituted by the ophecleide, bass bassoon or bass trombone. Deluxe edition issued on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth. Handsome binding with decorative paper boards, burgundy linen spine, and pasted title etikette. Commentary in Eng-Ger-Jap.  Special OMI price – $465

A "BÄRENREITER FACSIMILE"—Synonymous for authenticity and high quality.
            
 
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