Mendelssohn: Versions of the Overture for Winds in C Major, MWV P 1, Op. 24

Description

The Overture for Harmony Music in C Major, Op. 24 MWV P 1 by Felix Mendelssohn is a special work in two respects: on the one hand, it is unique in the composer's oeuvre in the main version for 23 wind instruments; on the other hand, it exists them in several versions by Mendelssohn himself, namely a variant for eleven wind instruments from 1826 and two arrangements for piano four hands from 1838.

These versions, called Nocturno and Overture for Harmony and Military Music respectively, form the content of the present volume. The inspiration for its creation ultimately goes back to a stay by Felix Mendelssohn and his father in 1824 in the Baltic Sea resort of Doberan (then: Dobberan), where the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin maintained a summer residence surrounded by members of his nationally known court orchestra. The music sketched there was initially not given a title, but was always referred to in the Mendelssohn family as "Dobberan Harmony Music" with a view to the place associated with it.