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Felix Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58, was composed in late 1842 (announced in November letters) — first half of 1843 (published in July by F. Kistner).^[1] The main theme of the first movement is a reworking of an unrealised Piano Sonata in G major.^[1] The Cello Sonata, which was dedicated to the Russian/Polish cellist Count Mateusz Wielhorski, has four movements:

Allegro assai vivace
Allegretto scherzando (in B minor)
Adagio (in G major)
Molto allegro e vivace

A typical performance lasts 25 minutes.

Of particular interest is the Adagio, because it mirrors Mendelssohn's fascination with the music of J. S. Bach. (He was then musical director of the Gewandhaus concerts at Leipzig and, as such, Bach's distant successor.) The movement consists of a chorale in Bach's typical style, played by the piano in rich arpeggios. In between the phrases of the chorale, the cello plays recitative-like passages, which resemble the recitative of the Fantasia in the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903, and quotes its final passage.^[2]

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Cello Sonata in D major, Op. 58, performed by John Michel & Lisa Bergman

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References

^ ^a ^b R. Larry Todd (28 October 2013). Mendelssohn Essays. Routledge. pp. 275–. ISBN 978-1-135-86669-3.
^ Wolfgang Dinglinger: "Die Arpeggien sind ja eben der Haupteffect". Anmerkungen zum Adagio der zweiten Cellosonate op. 58 von Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. In: Cordula Heymann-Wentzel, Johannes Laas: Musik und Biographie: Festschrift für Rainer Cadenbach. Königshausen & Neumann, 2004, ISBN 382602804X, pp. 65–68

External links

Cello Sonata No. 2: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

Felix Mendelssohn

Vocal

Stage	A Midsummer Night's Dream Antigone Oedipus at Colonus Die beiden Neffen Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde Die Hochzeit des Camacho
Sacred	Oratorio: St. Paul / Paulus Elijah / Elias Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen Wer bis an das Ende beharrt Christus Other: "Psalm 42" Vom Himmel hoch (chorale cantata) Drei Motetten Lobgesang (Symphony No. 2) Verleih uns Frieden "Hear my prayer" Lord, have mercy upon us Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt (Psalm 100) Mitten wir im Leben sind
Other	Die erste Walpurgisnacht "On Wings of Song" Festgesang Festgesang an die Künstler

Orchestral

Symphony	13 String Symphonies No. 1 No. 2 (symphony-cantata Lobgesang) No. 3 (Scottish) No. 4 (Italian) No. 5 (Reformation)
Concerto	Violin and Strings Violin Piano, Violin and Strings Piano: No. 1 – No. 2 Two Pianos: in E major – in A♭ major
Other	Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage The Hebrides Die schöne Melusine "Wedding March"

Chamber

String quartet	String Quartet in E♭ major No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Four pieces for string quartet
Other	Violin Sonata: No. 1 – No. 2 – No. 3 Viola Sonata Cello Sonata: No. 1 – No. 2 Assai tranquillo for cello and piano Clarinet Sonata Piano Trio: in C minor – No. 1 – No. 2 Piano Quartet: No. 1 – No. 2 – No. 3 String Quintet: No. 1 – No. 2 Piano Sextet String Octet