Which Song Without Words should I start with?

ShiroKuro

This is the companion thread to my other thread (https://forum.pianotell.com/d/2150-what-bach-should-i-play). To recap: for my piano class, I have to work on at least three different genres each semester. This coming semester, I’d like one to be Bach (baroque) and then maybe the other could be romantic. (The third will always be contemporary).

I would love to do one of the Songs Without Words by Mendelssohn, which are in the romantic period, so im considering those for genre #2.

If anyone has any advice or recommendations, please share them! If there’s one that’s close to 5 minutes, maybe that could even be the one I play for my jury.

Also, if there is a particular edition that would be good to buy, or if, for example, it’s fine to just buy a digital score from Musicnotes, please share info about that as well.

TIA!!

KevinM

I can't help with recommending a piece around 5 mins in length.

The very first one in the series 19.1 is my favourite, about 3m30

19.2 is also lovely but shorter.

The Venetian Gondolier songs are wonderful, I think my favourite of them is 30.6.

Kevin

ShiroKuro

KevinM Oooh thanks for these! I'm listening now....

Also re the Venetian Boat Songs, I have some of those scores in a collection, as I recall those are quite nice as well....

ShiroKuro

KevinM a piece around 5 mins in length.

I don't know how strict the rule is (my fall semester piece was 4.5 minutes long, perfect length!)

I think if the piece is too short, you have to play two. Which wouldn't be the end of the world, but I would have to plan for it.... ETA: the Ffrench piece (Miracles) that I'm considering is only about 3.5 minutes as well. Hmmm

ShiroKuro

Oooh I really like the Venetian Gondolier 30.6.... maybe I'll start with that...

Also, @KevinM, I found your earlier thread so I'm going to go listen to your 19.6, and then Songs Without Words #19.4 and 30.3... maybe some other Venetian ones.... What a lovely way to spend a Sunday 🙂

BTW, did you buy a score book? Any editions to recommend?

KevinM

ShiroKuro 19.4 is probably one of the easiest to learn.

I've mostly bought via Henle, though I have two from graded books.

ShiroKuro

Ok, now I'm confused, are the Venetian Boat Songs (Gondolier) subsumed under Songs Without Words? So the numbers are the same?

I think I'm most interested in 30.6 and 19.6...

If anyone has others to recommend, please do! 🙂

KevinM

ShiroKuro The Venetian Boat Songs are a subset of Songs Without Words.

ShiroKuro

KevinM ahh ok that makes sense! Thanks!

pianoloverus

In approximate decreasing order of difficulty

ShiroKuro

pianoloverus thanks! I’m going to listen now!

ShiroKuro

pianoloverus hmm of those i like 38.6 best… although probably all of those are a good it harder than the other discussed in this thread.

I should see if the uni music library has the whole set. Of course I think the library is closed until maybe Jan 5th…

ShiroKuro

As it happens, o have the score fr both 19.6 and 30.6, so I’ll start with those. Well I’ll start with 19.6 for now, that seems to be the easiest and I should be able to make some progress on it before my first lesson of the new year.

danno858

19.6 is fairly easy to learn in a short period of time

ShiroKuro

danno858 19.6 is fairly easy to learn in a short period of time

Time will tell! 😅