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Venetian Gondola Song (Venetianisches Gondellied) Op. 19, No. 6 is from Songs Without Words by German composer Felix Mendelssohn. The Songs Without Words or Lieder Ohne Worte are a set of Forty eight short piano pieces with a distinctive lyrical character - containing cantabile (song-like) melodies within a simple structure, usually ternary form. In music, ternary form describes a structure whereby a musical idea is presented, then there is a middle section containing a development of or contrast to the initial idea, then the final section restates the initial theme, possibly with some slight variation. You can listen to another Song Without Words here.
Within the Songs Without Words, Mendelssohn wrote three compositions entitled "Venetian Gondola Song". Here is another Venetian Gondola Song. In the Venetian Gondola Songs, the continuous gently rocking rhythm of the accompaniment depicts the gentle rocking of the boat on water. This piece is in G minor, and the minor tonality contributes to its melancholy atmosphere. This piece has a reflective and subdued character, but is given some colour and life by dynamic interest and rich harmonies.
For many intermediate to advanced piano students, this piece provides a valuable study for development of tonal control and balance between hands in order to project melody above accompaniment. It is also useful for learning about phrasing and use of the sustaining pedal.
This piece was written in the Romantic era. There are four main eras within the genre of music commonly called "classical" - Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century. Read more here. More Romantic pieces include Chopin Nocturne in F Minor and Schumann Of Foreign Lands and Peoples. For an example of Baroque music you can listen to my recording of Bach Fantasia in C Minor. For Classical era music, you can listen to Beethoven Rondo. A twentieth century example is Chaminade Elegie.
I recorded this video in March 2018.
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Within the Songs Without Words, Mendelssohn wrote three compositions entitled "Venetian Gondola Song". Here is another Venetian Gondola Song. In the Venetian Gondola Songs, the continuous gently rocking rhythm of the accompaniment depicts the gentle rocking of the boat on water. This piece is in G minor, and the minor tonality contributes to its melancholy atmosphere. This piece has a reflective and subdued character, but is given some colour and life by dynamic interest and rich harmonies.
For many intermediate to advanced piano students, this piece provides a valuable study for development of tonal control and balance between hands in order to project melody above accompaniment. It is also useful for learning about phrasing and use of the sustaining pedal.
This piece was written in the Romantic era. There are four main eras within the genre of music commonly called "classical" - Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century. Read more here. More Romantic pieces include Chopin Nocturne in F Minor and Schumann Of Foreign Lands and Peoples. For an example of Baroque music you can listen to my recording of Bach Fantasia in C Minor. For Classical era music, you can listen to Beethoven Rondo. A twentieth century example is Chaminade Elegie.
I recorded this video in March 2018.
More videos