Introduction
This essay explores the compositional styles of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), two pivotal figures in Western classical music. Despite being separated by a century and representing distinct musical periods (Baroque and Romantic, respectively), both composers have left an indelible mark on musical history. The essay will analyse and contrast specific aspects of their styles, considering melody, harmony, form, and orchestration. The choice of these composers is motivated by Mendelssohn’s profound admiration for Bach, notably evidenced by his 1829 revival of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, which marked a significant point in Bach’s posthumous recognition. While Bach’s music is characterised by its intricate counterpoint and complex harmonic language, Mendelssohn’s style is often noted for its clarity and formal balance, albeit with romantic expressiveness. This analysis aims to identify both divergences and continuities in their compositional approaches.
Historical Context and Musical Background
Bach was a quintessential Baroque composer, whose works epitomise the period’s emphasis on contrapuntal complexity and ornamentation (Butt, 1997). Conversely, Mendelssohn was a leading figure of the Romantic era, which prioritised emotional expression and expanded forms (Todd, 2003). Mendelssohn’s exposure to Bach’s music (through his teacher Carl Friedrich Zelter and the Singakademie in Berlin) is crucial to understanding his stylistic development. His affinity for Baroque forms and counterpoint is evident in works such as the Preludes and Fugues for piano (Op. 35), which directly emulate Bach’s keyboard works. Yet, Mendelssohn’s compositions, like his Songs Without Words or the Scottish Symphony, also showcase Romantic lyrical melodies and colourful orchestration.
Melodic Construction
Bach’s melodies are typically contrapuntal, meaning they are designed to interact with simultaneous independent lines (Schulenberg, 2006). For instance, in the fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier, the subject is introduced successively in each voice, creating an intricate web of interwoven melodies. In contrast, Mendelssohn often employs more homophonic textures with a clear distinction between melody and accompaniment, as in the opening of his Violin Concerto in E minor, where the solo violin sings a lyrical melody against the orchestral backdrop. Nonetheless, in his fugal works, Mendelssohn mimics Bach’s approach to counterpoint, albeit with a Romantic harmonic language (Brown, 2003).
Harmonic Language
Bach’s harmony adheres to the functional tonal system of the Baroque era, employing well-defined progressions with frequent use of secondary dominants and chromaticism to enhance tension and directionality (Dürr, 2006). His chorale harmonisations, like those in the St. Matthew Passion, provide masterful examples of tonal harmony. Mendelssohn, too, maintains a strong tonal foundation, but his harmonic palette is more varied, incorporating distant modulations and richer chromatic inflections to evoke emotional nuance. The Prelude in E minor (Op. 35 No. 1) illustrates this, with its dramatic harmonic shifts and diminished seventh chords heightening the expressive impact (Todd, 2003). However, Mendelssohn seldom ventures into the radical chromaticism that some of his contemporaries, such as Wagner or Liszt, embraced.
Form and Structure
Bach’s works are typically structured around Baroque forms such as the fugue, the cantata, and the suite. His Brandenburg Concertos exemplify his mastery of the concerto grosso form, with their orderly alternation of concertino and ripieno groups. Mendelssohn also engages with classical forms, like the sonata form in his Italian Symphony, but often imbues them with a Romantic sensibility (Brown, 2003). For example, the first movement of the Italian Symphony adheres broadly to sonata form but incorporates unconventional modulations and rhythmic innovations. Mendelssohn also employs cyclical thematic recall in his Scottish Symphony, a technique that looks forward to later Romantic developments (Todd, 2003).
Orchestration
Bach’s orchestration is largely centred around the strings and continuo, with occasional woodwind and brass doubling, reflecting the smaller ensembles of his time. The Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, with its solo trumpet, recorder, oboe, and violin, demonstrates his ability to handle diverse timbres within a chamber-sized ensemble. In contrast, Mendelssohn’s orchestrations are more expansive and varied, reflecting the larger Romantic orchestra. His concert overture The Hebrides employs a full range of woodwinds, brass, and strings to create vivid tone-paintings of the Scottish landscape. Here, Mendelssohn explores the expressive potential of orchestral colour far beyond Bach’s instrumental writing (Todd, 2003).
Conclusion
While Bach and Mendelssohn’s compositional styles are markedly different, shaped by their respective historical contexts, Mendelssohn’s work reveals a learned engagement with Bach’s legacy. Bach’s contrapuntal rigour, tonal stability, adherence to Baroque forms, and modest orchestra are contrasted by Mendelssohn’s lyrical melodies, adventurous harmonic excursions, formal flexibility, and orchestral richness. That said, Mendelssohn often directly channels Bach’s influence, most obviously in his fugal works. Mendelssohn, in essence, stands as a bridge between the Baroque and Romantic eras, synthesising Bach’s structural principles with the expressive demands of his own time.
References
- Brown, C. (2003) ‘Mendelssohn and the Fugue’, A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Romantic Period, 84–95.
- Butt, J. (1997) Bach: Mass in B Minor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Dürr, A. (2006) The Cantatas of J.S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Schulenberg, D. (2006) The Keyboard Music of J.S. Bach. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.
- Todd, R. L. (2003) Mendelssohn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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