Song without Words Op. 102 No. 3 in C major

Felix Mendelssohn · Level 4 (Intermediate) · Romantic · Piano

One of the Songs without Words published after Mendelssohn’s death (Op. 102, 1868), sometimes nicknamed “Children’s Piece”: a light, sparkling C major presto of repeated notes and staccatos. A piece by Mendelssohn, master of the accompanied piano melody. C major, 6/8, 65 bars (about 3 minutes), complete score.

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

• Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
• Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
• Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
• Light staccato from the fingertips with a loose wrist; stay mostly piano so the piece remains airy. Melody and accompaniment in the same hand: the top voice sings, the rest murmurs. In 6/8, count the beats as groups of three eighths (dotted beats) to keep the lilt. For chords, shape the hand in the air before landing, all notes together.

More pieces by Felix Mendelssohn

• Venetian Gondola Song Op. 30 No. 6 (Songs without Words)
• Scherzo in E minor (Op. 16, No. 2)
• Song without Words Op. 19 No. 6 “Venetian Gondola Song”
• Song without Words Op. 85 No. 1
• Song without Words Op. 53 No. 5 “Folk Song”
• Song without Words Op. 19 No. 5 “Restlessness”
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Source : Mutopia Project · Public Domain