Hebrides Overture, Op.26 (Fingal’s Cave)

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)

It is surprising that in the early 19^th century before the development of modern transport systems that so many artists travelled as widely as they did. In 1829 Mendelssohn sailed from Hamburg for the first of many visits he made to England. However, like lots of other tourists, the Highlands of Scotland lured, and in July of that year he headed north with his poet friend, Karl Klingemann. While in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull they took the steamer across to Staffa to see the strange basalt pillars of Fingal’s Cave named after a legendary Celtic hero. By all reports the sea was rough and poor Mendelssohn suffered sea sickness during the crossing. Kingemann wrote:

“We were put out in boats and lifted by the hissing sea up the pillar stumps to the celebrated Fingal’s Cave. A greener roar of waves surely never rushed into a stranger cavern - its many pillars made it look like the inside of an immense organ, black and resounding, and absolutely without purpose, and quite alone, the wide grey sea within and without”.

As soon as Mendelssohn got back to his lodgings, inspired by the experience, he hurriedly wrote down the opening theme for his new piece originally called The Lonely Isle. He scribbled down the melody in a letter to his sister Fanny, in Berlin telling her “how extraordinarily the Hebrides affected me”.

The title of the work was soon changed to The Hebrides, and first performed as such in London on 14^th May 1832, although when eventually printed the score was labelled Fingal’s Cave.

Although Mendelssohn used only the traditional classical orchestra, he was able to achieve a remarkable richness of orchestral colour with much use of the “darker” sounding instruments, such as cellos, violas, bassoons, and clarinets to give the music its brooding atmosphere.

Although called an overture, the work is really a musical tone painting conveying the mood of the Hebrides and Fingal’s cave. It has been deservedly popular and in the repertoire ever since its first performance, and is one of the greatest evocations of the natural world ever composed.

Instrumentation (key to notation): 2222:2200:T Str

Programme Notes by Jonathan Hodgetts

www.SalisburySymphonyOrchestra.org.uk