Levit Leider Ohne Worte

Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) is a series of short lyrical songs (Lieder), with piano accompaniment, by the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn written between 1829 and 1845.

Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) is a series of short lyrical songs (Lieder), with piano accompaniment, by the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn written between 1829 and 1845.

When in 1973 the 22-year-old Daniel Adni first recorded the Songs without Words (as part of a three-LP Mendelssohn recital) he had the field to himself. Nowadays things are rather different, with notable competition coming from the searching Livia Rev, and in sharper contrast, the volatile Daniel Barenboim, whose characterization does yet more to emphasize the variety of the set as a whole.

Songs without words—Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy is regarded as the inventor of this genre representing a fascinating region within the piano literature. It has not been explained how Mendelssohn came up with this poetic term. In any case, these genial atmospheric pictures show us the composer at the height of his mastery and details of his individual style attest to his great gift in the field of melodic invention, part writing, technique and harmony.

Violinist Michael Barenboim makes his second appearance on Linn, this time with pianist and partner Natalia Pegarkova-Barenboim. Together they have recorded some of Mendelssohn’s beloved Songs without Words. Beginning their life as a musical game between Mendelssohn and his older sister Fanny Hensel, these songs were arranged into piano pieces to pass the time during their childhood. The album showcases a selection arranged for violin by violinist and composer Ferdinand David. Hardly known today, David was to become a close friend of Felix and the dedicatee of his famous Violin Concerto Op. 64. These arrangements always remain true to Mendelssohn’s musical aesthetic, and their intimate character calls for a closely shared musicianship, undoubtedly a distinctive quality which the duo has aplenty.

Peter Donohoe CBE is acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time, for his musicianship, stylistic versatility, and commanding technique. On this first volume of Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words, he writes: "When I first became conscious of my desire to be a musician, Mendelssohn meant more to me, personally, than almost any other composer – he certainly ranked alongside Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. My choice of programme for the present recording is based around a large selection from the Lieder ohne Worte, which I preface with the Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14 and the three wonderful Fantaisies ou Caprices.

Violinist Michael Barenboim makes his second appearance on Linn, this time with pianist and partner Natalia Pegarkova-Barenboim. Together they have recorded some of Mendelssohn’s beloved Songs without Words. Beginning their life as a musical game between Mendelssohn and his older sister Fanny Hensel, these songs were arranged into piano pieces to pass the time during their childhood. The album showcases a selection arranged for violin by violinist and composer Ferdinand David. Hardly known today, David was to become a close friend of Felix and the dedicatee of his famous Violin Concerto Op. 64. These arrangements always remain true to Mendelssohn’s musical aesthetic, and their intimate character calls for a closely shared musicianship, undoubtedly a distinctive quality which the duo has aplenty.

Although Mendelssohn was a virtuoso and celebrated pianist, his anything but incidental piano work unfortunately leads a rather shadowy existence in concert today.