Mendelssohn: Complete Piano Music

Martin Jones

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Mendelssohn: Complete Piano Music Review

by James Leonard

Anyone looking for Mendelssohn's complete piano music -- a repertoire not often performed and less often recorded -- need look no further than this six disc set. It includes everything with an opus number and many things without one: the three Sonatas, the three Variations, the seven Preludes and Fugues, the ten Caprices, and, naturally, the 48 Songs without Words among many, many other works. The performances are consistently first-rate. With his refined technique, polished tone and elegant interpretations, Martin Jones is an impressive Mendelssohn pianist who ideally balances mind and heart in these performances. His Variations Sérieuses is stern but compassionate; his Sonata in G minor is austere but expressive; and his Songs without Words are always singing but also always supremely well-wrought. The only real flaw is the sound. Recorded by Nimbus in the middle to late Seventies, Jones sounds like he's playing behind the heavy curtains while the microphones are placed in the back of a small, empty hall. Still, for first-rate performances of Mendelssohn's complete piano music, this is the set to get, despite the dreary sound.

Track Listing - Disc 1

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Caprices (3) for piano, Op. 33
	1	No. 1 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:18	Amazon
	2	No. 2 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:22	Amazon
	3	No. 3 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:51	Amazon
	4	Capriccio for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 5 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:51	Amazon
	5	Capriccio for piano in E major, Op. 118 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:52	Amazon
	6	Scherzo for piano in B minor Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	00:55	Amazon
	7	Scherzo a capriccio, for piano in F sharp minor Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:22	Amazon
	8	Rondo capriccioso, for piano in E major, Op. 14 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:09	Amazon
	9	Perpetuum Mobile, for piano in C major, Op. 119 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:48	Amazon
Klavierstücke (2) for piano
	10	No. 1 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:26	Amazon
	11	No. 2 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:27	Amazon
	12	Andante cantabile & Presto agitato, for piano in B major Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:38	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Piano Sonata in B flat major, Op. 106
	1	1. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:31	Amazon
	2	2. Scherzo. Allegro non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:00	Amazon
	3	3. Andante quasi allegretto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	04:31	Amazon
	4	4. Allegro moderato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:47	Amazon
Piano Sonata in E major, Op. 6
	5	1. Allegretto con espressione Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:55	Amazon
	6	2. Tempo di menuetto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	04:18	Amazon
	7	3. Adagio e senza tempo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:55	Amazon
	8	4. Molto allegro e vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:11	Amazon
Piano Sonata in G minor, Op. 105
	9	1. Allegro Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:57	Amazon
	10	2. Adagio Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:08	Amazon
	11	3. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:50	Amazon
Kinderstücke (6) for piano ("Christmas Pieces"), Op. 72
	12	1. Allegro non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	00:59	Amazon
	13	2. Andante sostenuto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:32	Amazon
	14	3. Allegretto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	00:50	Amazon
	15	4. Andante con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:14	Amazon
	16	5. Allegro assai Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:30	Amazon
	17	6. Vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:23	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Preludes & Fugues (6) for piano, Op. 35
	1	No. 1 in E minor. Allegro con fuoco Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:06	Amazon
	2	No. 1 in E minor. Andante espressivo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:32	Amazon
	3	No. 2 in D major. Allegretto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:53	Amazon
	4	No. 2 in D major. Tranquillo e sempre legato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:15	Amazon
	5	No. 3 in B minor. Prestissimo staccato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:53	Amazon
	6	No. 3 in B minor. Allegro con brio Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:57	Amazon
	7	No. 4 in A flat major. Con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:49	Amazon
	8	No. 4 in A flat major. Con moto, ma sostenuto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:59	Amazon
	9	No. 5 in F minor. Andante lento Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:31	Amazon
	10	No. 5 in F minor. Allegro con fuoco Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:34	Amazon
	11	No. 6 in B flat minor. Maestoso moderato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:30	Amazon
	12	No. 6 in B flat minor. Allegro con brio Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:05	Amazon
Prelude & Fugue for piano in E minor
	13	Prelude - Allegro molto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:03	Amazon
	14	Fugue - Allegro energico Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	04:04	Amazon
Preludes (3) & Etudes (3) for piano, Op. 104
	15	Prelude No. 1 in B flat major. Allegro molto e vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:43	Amazon
	16	Prelude No. 2 in B minor. Allegro agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:28	Amazon
	17	Prelude No. 3 in D major. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:56	Amazon
	18	Study No. 1 in B flat minor. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:02	Amazon
	19	Study No. 2 in F major. Allegro con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:02	Amazon
	20	Study No. 3 in A minor. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:29	Amazon
	21	Etude for piano in F minor Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:38	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 4

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
	1	Variations sérieuses, for piano in D minor, Op. 54 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	10:54	Amazon
Fantasies or Caprices (3) for piano, Op. 16
	2	1. Andante con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	04:38	Amazon
	3	2. Scherzo. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:22	Amazon
	4	3. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:22	Amazon
	5	Variations for piano in E flat major, Op. 82 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:51	Amazon
Fantasy for piano in F sharp minor ("Sonate écossaise"), Op. 28
	6	1. Con moto agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	06:38	Amazon
	7	2. Allegro con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:23	Amazon
	8	3. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:36	Amazon
	9	Variations for piano in B flat major, Op. 83 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	08:13	Amazon
	10	Fantasy on "The Last Rose of Summer" for piano in E major, Op. 15 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	07:04	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 5

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 1, Op. 19b
	1	No. 1 in E major. Andante con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:42	Amazon
	2	No. 2 in A minor. Andante espressivo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:31	Amazon
	3	No. 3 in A major. Molto allegro e vivace (Hunting Song) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:04	Amazon
	4	No. 4 in A major. Moderato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:00	Amazon
	5	No. 5 in F sharp minor. Poco agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:00	Amazon
	6	No. 6 in G minor. Andante sostenuto (Venetian Gondola Song) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:05	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 2, Op. 30
	7	No. 1 in E flat major. Andante espressivo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:36	Amazon
	8	No. 2 in B flat minor. Allegro di molto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:52	Amazon
	9	No. 3 in E major. Adagio non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:00	Amazon
	10	No. 4 in B minor. Agitato e con fuoco Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:35	Amazon
	11	No. 5 in D major. Andante grazioso Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:54	Amazon
	12	No. 6 in F sharp minor. Allegretto tranquillo (Venetian Gondola Song) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:22	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 3, Op. 38
	13	No. 1 in E flat major. Con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:25	Amazon
	14	No. 2 in C minor. Allegro non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:55	Amazon
	15	No. 3 in E major. Presto e molto vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:49	Amazon
	16	No. 4 in A major. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:41	Amazon
	17	No. 5 in A minor. Agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:22	Amazon
	18	No. 6 in A flat major (Duetto). Andante con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:00	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 4, Op. 53
	19	No. 1 in A flat major. Andante con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:43	Amazon
	20	No. 2 in E flat major. Allegro non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:57	Amazon
	21	No. 3 in G minor. Presto agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:01	Amazon
	22	No. 4 in F major. Adagio Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:42	Amazon
	23	No. 5 in A minor. Allegro con fuoco (Folksong) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:29	Amazon
	24	No. 6 in A major. Molto allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:11	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 5, Op. 62
	25	No. 1 in G major. Andante espressivo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:04	Amazon
	26	No. 2 in B flat major. Allegro con fuoco Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:43	Amazon
	27	No. 3 in E minor. Andante maestoso (Funeral March) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:24	Amazon
	28	No. 4 in G major. Allegro con anima Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:34	Amazon
	29	No. 5 in A minor. Andnate con moto (Venetian Gondola Song) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:23	Amazon
	30	No. 6 in A major. Allegretto grazioso (Spring Song) Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:02	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 6

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Characteristic Pieces (7) for piano, Op. 7
	1	No. 1 in E minor. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:26	Amazon
	2	No. 2 in B minor. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:52	Amazon
	3	No. 3 in D major. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:16	Amazon
	4	No. 4 in A major. Con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:06	Amazon
	5	No. 5 in A major. Fuga Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	05:58	Amazon
	6	No. 6 in E minor. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:53	Amazon
	7	No. 7 in E major. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:34	Amazon
	8	Gondollied, for piano in A major ("Barcarole") Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:32	Amazon
	9	Albumblatt for piano in E minor, Op. 117 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	03:57	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 6, Op. 67
	10	No. 1 in E flat major. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:57	Amazon
	11	No. 2 in F sharp minor. Allegro leggiero Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:37	Amazon
	12	No. 3 in B flat major. Andante tranquillo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:23	Amazon
	13	No. 4 in C major. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:45	Amazon
	14	No. 5 in B minor. Moderato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:51	Amazon
	15	No. 6 in E major. Allegretto non troppo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:58	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 7, Op. 85
	16	No. 1 in F major. Andante espressivo Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:19	Amazon
	17	No. 2 in A minor. Allegro agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	00:52	Amazon
	18	No. 3 in E flat major. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:09	Amazon
	19	No. 4 in D major. Andante sostenuto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:49	Amazon
	20	No. 5 in A major. Allegretto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:52	Amazon
	21	No. 6 in B flat major. Allegretto con moto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:58	Amazon
Songs without Words (6) for piano, Book 8, Op. 102
	22	No. 1 in E minor. Andante un poco agitato Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:23	Amazon
	23	No. 2 in D major. Adagio Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:07	Amazon
	24	No. 3 in C major. Presto Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:19	Amazon
	25	No. 4 in G minor. Un poco agitato, ma andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:49	Amazon
	26	No. 5 in A major. Allegro vivace Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:08	Amazon
	27	No. 6 in C major. Andante Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	02:06	Amazon
	28	Song Without Words for piano No. 41 in A major, Op. 85/5 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:53	Amazon
	29	Song Without Words for piano No. 44 in D major, Op. 102/2 Felix Mendelssohn	Martin Jones	01:42	Amazon