Romantic · 1834
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song)
F. MendelssohnOp. 34 No. 2
- Key
- Ab
- Time
- 6/8
- Tempo
- ♩=76
- AO focus
- AO1
Incipit
Form
Lied — Mendelssohn's setting of Heinrich Heine's poem. Compound 6/8 metre, gently rocking piano accompaniment, the vocal line floats above on a long-breathed melody. Three verses, varied accompaniment per verse.
Teaching points
- 6/8 'gondolier' rocking — the LH bass + RH chords create a barcarolle texture
- Long-breathed vocal phrases — practise breath control across 6-bar arcs
- AO1: a perennial recital favourite — singable in the original key by sopranos and tenors
- AO3: Mendelssohn's response to Heine's text — does the music reflect or contradict the poem's mood?
Full score ↓Public domain
Score: IMSLP (Breitkopf Gesamtausgabe + Peters editions, all public domain).