RTV repertoire catalog

Mendelssohn - Tarantella - Op. 102, No. 3

ID 1454 · Mendelssohn, Felix · Piano · Level 8 · Points 192000

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“Mendelssohn - Tarantella - Op. 102, No. 3” is a fast Romantic piano piece with a lively dance character. The music is marked Presto and written in 6/8, giving it the quick spinning motion associated with the tarantella. The texture uses rapid staccato figures, broken chords, repeated rhythmic patterns, and sudden dynamic contrasts. Although the piece is short, it moves through several contrasting sections, including a forceful middle passage, a return of the opening material, and a quiet ending that fades away instead of closing with a large final gesture.Measures 1–8 introduce the main tarantella idea. The right hand begins with quick repeated notes and stepwise motion, while the left hand supports the rhythm with short chordal figures. The music starts quietly but quickly builds through a crescendo, leading into a stronger cadence before the repeat.Measures 9–22 continue the dance energy with offbeat accents, quick rests, and repeated chord patterns. The right hand uses short slurred figures and staccato notes, while the left hand keeps the harmony active underneath. The dynamic grows to forte, giving this section a more urgent and dramatic character.Measures 23–32 form a contrasting middle section. The music begins loudly with sf accents, then gradually diminishes into a softer sempre staccato passage. The texture becomes lighter again, with the right hand carrying repeated staccato figures and the left hand providing simpler bass support.Measures 33–41 bring back the opening material. The familiar fast 6/8 pattern returns, and the first and second endings shape the repeat structure. The second ending moves forward into a new continuation rather than simply closing the section.Measures 42–54 lead into a quieter closing area. The music gradually diminishes poco a poco, and the repeated staccato figures become less forceful. The hands alternate between short melodic fragments and light accompaniment patterns, keeping the tarantella rhythm present while reducing the intensity.Measures 55–66 form the final section. The left hand becomes more prominent with low repeated patterns while the right hand adds short chordal responses above. The final measures are marked pp and end with a light, understated close, allowing the piece to disappear softly after all the earlier motion.Interesting fact: Mendelssohn’s Op. 102 belongs to the later published collections of his Songs Without Words. Although many of these pieces are lyrical and song-like, this Tarantella shows a more animated side of the collection, using the fast 6/8 rhythm and repeated staccato motion associated with the Italian dance.