In the first section of this Catalogue a few compositions are omitted, because the autograph notes, by which Mendelssohn was in the habit of recording the date and place of composition of his pieces, are wanting; the precise date at which these works were composed cannot therefore be given. They are as follows:—

These may all be placed between 1824 and 1828; the symphony, probably the earliest of all, about 1824; it was not published, however, till much later, and was then marked as Opus 11, that number happening to be vacant. In marking his works with Opus figures, both at that time and especially later, Mendelssohn invariably referred to the date, not of their composition, but of their publication; years not unfrequently intervening between the two. This fact is strikingly exemplified in the “Walpurgis Nacht,” which, though composed in 1830, was not published till 1843, when indeed it was much over-elaborated. In his books of songs and other minor works, he was in the habit of selecting those which answered his purpose, out of a large number composed in different years. Thus, for example, the six songs in the first book of songs for men’s voices (op. 50), were composed between 1837 and 1840. Dates are also wanting for

All belonging to the last period, subsequent to 1840.

Besides these, the originals of many single songs, with and without words, are so dispersed, that with the most anxious desire to render the Catalogue complete, and notwithstanding all the efforts of the Editor, they have not yet been discovered. Still, even in its incomplete and imperfect condition, the Catalogue will be interesting to the friends and admirers of this immortal composer. It cannot fail also to be of great value to Mendelssohn’s future biographer, for the striking picture it furnishes of his development, of which the Thematic Catalogue of Breitkopf and HÄrtel can give no idea, since in its compilation it was not possible to observe the chronological succession of the works.

This is the proper place to mention a widely-spread report, to the effect that Mendelssohn’s sister, Fanny Hensel (who died on the 14th of May, 1847), had a share in the composition of many of his works. Thus, among others, she has been often named as the composer of the entire first book of “Songs without Words” (op. 19). This has been much exaggerated. We are now enabled to reduce it to its proper proportions,[96] and to state positively that Mendelssohn included six only of his sister’s songs with words in his first four books of songs, and beyond these not one of any kind whatsoever. These songs are:—

We may further observe, that the song No. 12, “Die Blumenglocken mit hellem Schein,” in the operetta “Heimkehr aus der Fremde” (Son and Stranger), was set to music by Carl Klingemann, the author of the libretto, Mendelssohn’s most intimate friend, who died very recently. It had been already published by him in 1829, in a book of songs (Logier, Berlin), with other words, and was afterwards most charmingly and delicately instrumented by Mendelssohn for the operetta.

In addition to the list contained in the thematic catalogue of Mendelssohn’s published works, the following have since appeared in Germany.

1. Two Pianoforte Pieces: (a) Andante cantabile, in B flat; (b) Presto agitato, in G minor (Senff, Leipzig).

2. Two Songs for four Men’s Voices: (a) “Schlummernd an des Vaters Brust;” (b) “Auf, Freunde, lasst das Jahr uns singen,” in the “Repertorium fÜr MÄnnergesang” (Kahnt, Leipzig).

A “Te Deum,” for a four-part chorus and organ, with English words, has been published in London.

Lastly, we must not omit to mention a published work of Mendelssohn’s, though not a musical one, namely a translation of the ‘Andria’ of Terence. Its complete title is—

“The Maiden of Andros, a Comedy by Terence, in the metre of the original, translated by F——; with an introduction and notes, edited by K. W. L. Heyse. (Berlin, 1826, Ferdinand Dummler.)”

As the existence of this little work, or at any rate the fact that “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” is concealed beneath the “F——,” is not hitherto generally known, this notice will be received with some interest.

II. The second division of the Catalogue is intended to furnish a more ready means of reference to what Mendelssohn has accomplished in the most various styles of composition (besides the published works); it is not arranged chronologically, but under different heads,—Church Music, Dramatic, etc. etc. The immense number of the works it includes, bears testimony to the strict and conscientious manner in which Mendelssohn acted with regard to himself, and how many pieces he laid aside, which, even if too much laboured, might have caused great delight and enjoyment to the world. The list also testifies to the caution of his representatives, and to their desire to act in the same spirit as himself, by not publishing anything among his papers which might be unworthy of his name, or of his importance in the history of art. Minor compositions for special occasions, songs for family fÊtes, canons in albums, etc. etc., of which a vast number exist, are not included in the Catalogue, chiefly because it was impossible to make even an approach to a complete list. It may be mentioned, that Mendelssohn added full obligato organ parts to two of Handel’s oratorios, viz. “Solomon” and “Israel in Egypt,” as well as to the “Dettingen Te Deum.” Those for “Solomon” and the “Te Deum” remain in manuscript; but those to “Israel in Egypt” are published in the edition of the Handel Society of London, for whom Mendelssohn edited the oratorio.

J. R.