FELIX MENDELSSOHN - Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14 (1828-1830)

Mendelssohn was one of the most gifted and versatile prodigies. Fully developed before he was 20, his musical style drew on a variety of influences. His fascination with Bach’s counterpoint, and the clearly balanced themes with symmetrical phrase structures reminiscent of Mozart are evident in his piano works in the early 1820s. Later, starting around 1823, the influences of Beethoven and Weber began to emerge. The dramatic gestures of them have become noticeable since then. 

Rondo capriccioso starts with a lyrical introduction then proceeds to the main section Presto leggiero. Mendelssohn interestingly composed this work in reversed order. The work was originally conceived in 1828 as an étude, comprising only the E-minor presto part in scherzo style. Later in 1830, he reworked it by adding the song-like expressive Andante introduction in major as a present for Delphine von Schauroth, a gifted pianist. In a letter to Fanny Mendelssohn, he wrote that he had added some new melodies and passages to the original Presto leggiero, just like adding sauce and mushrooms and he was fairly satisfied with the work. Rondo capriccioso is a virtuoso showpiece that Mendelssohn had intended for professional pianists. In the 19th century, it was one of the two most famous solo piano pieces of the composer (the other being Variations sérieuses). It appeared very frequently on concert programs of the time, including Mendelssohn’s. 

The Andante starts with three and a half bars of soft, resonant chords over a solid bass, followed by a lyrical tune. The peaceful atmosphere is interrupted when the semiquavers overtake the beautiful melody and force the music through a C major passage that seems slightly hurried. When E major returns, a series of diminished seventh chords gradually darken the scene with minor mode colours. This device for transitioning subtly from major to minor was influenced by Weber’s Concert-Stück. It creates a sense of unity of musical content between the two sections that were composed in different years. Mendelssohn also employed this procedure in several other works, including Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, Capriccio Brillant, and Serenade und Allegro giojoso.

The Presto leggiero that comes next explores closely related keys G and E majors before returning to E minor, its home key. Fortissimo plunging octaves, flashy arpeggios at an ever quickening pace, fast oscillating parallel thirds, and chromatic scales infuse this vigorous section, requiring decent techniques from the performer. 

An appropriate historical instrument for Rondo capriccioso would be the 1830s Broadwood piano. It has certain advantages over the modern piano, especially its light touch and shallow fall of key which are ideal for pianists to play rapidly and crisply. Some pianists also find the vast differences in tone colour among the bass, middle, and treble registers attractive. This feature seems to be an advantage for the gentle opening of the Andante here. Some musicians, however, are more inclined to play on a modern instrument because of the louder volume and the longer sound decay. No matter which instrument one chooses to play on, one has to consider the characteristics of the original instrument for which the piece was written.