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Topic: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1? (Read 2625 times)

bigboibrahms

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Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

on: July 02, 2020, 08:59:21 PM

I recently got two free tickets from a friend at work to see Mendelssohn piano concerto no. 2! Alas, I have not had a chance to hear the first concerto and am worried I will be lost at the concert. Will I be able to follow what’s going on if I don’t find the time to listen to Mendelssohn 1 before hand? Thanks

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cheeriosok

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Re: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

Reply #1 on: July 02, 2020, 09:46:25 PM

Yes, much like the Beethoven Sonatas, each piece tells a story, which is continued in the next piece and etc. You might enjoy listening to the 2nd concerto without having listened to the 1st one, but it's honestly better if you listen to all of his music in chronological order so starting with maybe his piano sonatas would be best.

Best,
cheerio

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themeandvariation

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Re: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

Reply #2 on: July 02, 2020, 09:56:14 PM

"each piece tells a story, which is continued in the next piece and etc. You might enjoy listening to the 2nd concerto without having listened to the 1st one, but it's honestly better if you listen to all of his music in chronological order so starting with maybe his piano sonatas would be best."
Yes, and since the composer picks up from the story of the previous generations, one must listen from 'the beginning of the art of music', (say, from Ancient Greece - {see Harry Partch's treatment}, through gregorian chants, Perotin, Von Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut, and everything else, on up to 1837, {the year Mendelssohn wrote the 2nd piano concerto}) in chronological order to understand this piece. Obviously.
No time to listen to the 1st concerto? You don't have a spare 20 minutes before you go to the concert? (I wonder where they are doing concerts again...)

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4'33"

pianoannieq

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Re: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

Reply #3 on: July 02, 2020, 10:20:09 PM

Hi Bigboibrahms,

No, you do not need to listen to his first concerto or his other works to enjoy or understand the second one. They are two separate works, and the same goes for his sonatas.

In my opinion, there is no point in listening to his works in order, just enjoy his music (his piano sonatas even were not his first works). I hope you will enjoy the concert :)

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I hate music (and sarcasm)

Beethoven Sonata 18
Liszt Rhapsodie Espagnole
Prokofiev Sonata 4 op.29
Scriabin Piano Concerto

quantum

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Posts: 6289

Re: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

Reply #4 on: July 02, 2020, 11:01:29 PM

Just enjoy discovering a new piece of music. There is plenty of opportunity to dig deeper later on.

Actually, enjoy the opportunity to even listen to live music at this time. Where I am, concerts will likely not happen for many more months.

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Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

lostinidlewonder

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Posts: 8308

Re: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1?

Reply #5 on: July 03, 2020, 05:43:13 AM

What could you miss? Unless you are writing some analysis of the music just go listen and enjoy it. Music does not require that you listened to everything consecutively. You’d probably gain a lot more appreciation if you research why the concerto was written and any story that lies behind it.

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Piano Street Magazine:From Sacile to Symphony Halls: The Fazioli Phenomenon

Topic: Will I understand Mendelssohn 2 without having heard Mendelssohn 1? (Read 2625 times)

Piano Street Magazine:Enfant Terrible or Childishly Innocent? – Prokofiev’s Complete Piano Works Now on Piano Street

Piano Street Magazine:
From Sacile to Symphony Halls: The Fazioli Phenomenon

Piano Street Magazine:
Enfant Terrible or Childishly Innocent? – Prokofiev’s Complete Piano Works Now on Piano Street