Symphony No.4 in A Major OP 90 (Dover miniature scores) Book

Composer Felix Mendelssohn's reputation fluctuates wildly according to the musical fashions of the moment. Some critics have found it convenient to overlook Mendelssohn's immense talents, falsely dismissing his music as sentimental, shallow, or overly Romantic. But these judgments, which have their origins in the endemic anti-Semitism of the mid-19th century, just don't hold up upon careful study of works like his Symphony No. 4, the "Italian." This is music that is thoughtfully conceived and deeply meaningful. Actually, Mendelssohn wrote 13 symphonies as a juvenile before tackling the form as an adult, but only the later works were counted when the numbers were being handed out. The "Italian" was written after a tour of Italy, and, like the "Scottish" Symphony, it is highly evocative of the country and culture it describes. Mendelssohn's compositional technique is worth studying, and this pocket-sized score from Dover Publications is a useful tool. Sized to be totable for concerts, and with wide margins for scribbling notes, this little score still offers the entire orchestration. Like all Dover scores, it's a reprint of an out of copyright score from another publisher, so don't expect up-to-the-moment scholarship, but it's still a great deal. --Sarah Bryan Miller Read More