Edition Breitkopf Mendelssohn F. - Sinfonie NR.4 A-dur Op.90 MWV N 16 "italienische" - Score

Summary of This Score

This edition offers the Symphony No. 4 in A major "Italian" by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in the 1833 version, the one premiered in London in May 1833 under the composer's direction. While the inspiration for the work comes directly from Mendelssohn's Italian journey (Rome, Florence, and the desire to "wait for Naples" before finalizing certain ideas), the composition itself was mainly completed at the beginning of 1833, following a London commission. This score thus highlights the "closed" and coherent form of the work, as it was actually heard by the public during the composer's lifetime.

The major interest of this publication lies in its Urtext approach: the musical text is established based on the Leipzig Mendelssohn Complete Edition (Series I, volume 6), and presented as a pre-publication derived from this complete edition. For musicians, this means particularly relevant material to approach choices of articulation, dynamics, and phrasing with transparent editorial logic, minimizing late unsourced additions.

Beyond the famous luminous drive of the first movement and the final rhythmic energy, this edition helps to work on the symphony as a true balance ground: flexibility of the melody, precision of attacks, breathing of transitions, and orchestral texture setup. An ideal score for orchestras, conductors, conservatories, and music libraries wishing to have a reliable text for both rehearsal and concert, in the spirit of the Breitkopf Urtext editorial tradition.

Technical specifications

Musical Genre

Classical

Composer	Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy	Instrumentation	orchestra
Editor	Thomas Schmidt-Beste	Collection	Breitkopf Urtext
Edition	Breitkopf Urtext	Genre	classical score (symphony, Romantic period)