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The short answer
Tiny flower trumpets became an imaginary orchestra. Scherzo in E minor, Op. 16 No. 2 is a scherzo by Felix Mendelssohn from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 8, an estimate.
- scherzo
- Romantic
- playful
History
During his Welsh visit to the Taylor family in late summer 1829, Mendelssohn described a girl imagining trumpet flowers as instruments. The Scherzo's autograph carries a small drawing of such a flowering branch above its opening. The critical preface connects the scene and the music through the composer's own letter, rather than through a later invented programme.
Sources
What to listen for
Repeated notes launch separated figures
The short pickup leads into repeated upper notes and grace-decorated replies. Hear their connected gesture through the gaps.
The repeated-note role moves lower
Lower repeated notes receive short upper chords before running contrast. Follow the active role across the changing layers.
Descending chords soften into space
Paired chords descend into quieter register exchanges. Hear the gaps as part of the easing phrase.
A major-coloured flow closes quietly
The ending shifts to E-major writing and flowing figures. Hear its quieter response settle into the last punctuation.
How to practise it
Keep the repeated B rhythm buoyant before the lower stream joins the scherzo.
- Count the dotted quarters and let each short pair point into the next long B.
- Count the lower silence aloud while playing the upper opening; prepare the G/B position before its entry.
How hard is it
Light rapid scherzo textures require agile coordination, even articulation and controlled phrase energy at the intended tempo.
About this piece
- Licence
- Public Domain
- Source
- mutopiaproject.org
More by Felix Mendelssohn
- Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 85 No. 1Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
- Venetian Gondola Song, Op. 30 No. 6Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
