Help finding a piece by Mendelssohn

[ajr686]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for someone to help me find a piece of music my grandmother was reminiscing about playing when she was a girl. She told me the piece was called 'Dawn' by Mendelssohn (for solo piano). She said it began softly, and mimicked the sounds of birds at certain points, before building to a dramatic section like 'the sun rising' etc. That's all she could remember.
I have tried looking for it but no luck yet. It may not be the actual name of the piece (could have been titled by an editor or something). However, if anyone thinks they know which work this could be I would be so grateful.
She is very ill at the moment and I would like to try and discover this piece so I can play it for her. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Regards,

ajr686

[landru]

I have a 1915 scorebook of Mendelssohn's Songs with Words. This edition has a title for all 48 of them - but none of them have "Dawn" as a title. One has the title "Morning Song" (op. 62 no. 4) but it is marked Allegro con anima and definitely does not look like what your grandmother described as it is pretty much the same throughout the piece.

Maybe it is another Song with Words by Mendelssohn - your description of the piece certainly can fit his style that he uses in these pieces - however I've only learned 6 of them and it isn't one of those.

Sorry I couldn't help more - good luck!

[ajr686]

Thanks for your help! I'm in the same boat. I am thinking it was one of the songs without words but I don't have all the scores and recordings either. She could be misremembering the composer too of course... Oh well, I will keep looking. Thanks again! 

[pianoblond]

i don t think that any of the songs without words can be the piece you re looking for, they re pretty much static, most times the same way they start, they end (i mean, they tend to miss those "dramatic sections" you were talking about...

anyway check this link     

in his channel you can find all the songs without words with sheets to follow

what if your granny is misremembering the composer? cause even if i don t have that deep knowledge of mendelssohn' music all i could vaguely think about with such a description was 'Rondo' Capriccioso', but i don t think it is that piece because it s quite demanding...

what about Ravel ' Oiseaux Triste' ?

[hansscherff]

i don t think that any of the songs without words can be the piece you re looking for, they re pretty much static, most times the same way they start, they end (i mean, they tend to miss those "dramatic sections" you were talking about...

anyway check this link     

in his channel you can find all the songs without words with sheets to follow

what if your granny is misremembering the composer? cause even if i don t have that deep knowledge of mendelssohn' music all i could vaguely think about with such a description was 'Rondo' Capriccioso', but i don t think it is that piece because it s quite demanding...

what about Ravel ' Oiseaux Triste' ?

It sounds a lot like ravel's daphnis et chloe suite, which i think really projects birds and a rising sun, however this is not for piano....

[miriamko]

I know this is VERY far fetched (especially as the name is completely opposite to what you suggested) but your description of birds and sun bursts really remind me of Grieg's  Nocturne.

[ajr686]

I know this is VERY far fetched (especially as the name is completely opposite to what you suggested) but your description of birds and sun bursts really remind me of Grieg's  Nocturne.

Thanks for all the helpful replies so far. I also think Nan could be misremembering the composer as well. So that certainly widens the search parameters!

I love the Greig Nocturne- I hadn't thought that it could very well be the piece she was thinking of. Thanks! Any other suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[cadenza14224]

I have no idea what song it might be, but Mendelssohns Op. 30 no. 1 fits part of the requirements. It's mad beautiful.