The Hebrides, Op. 26 "Fingal's Cave" by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra performs Mendelssohn's The Hebrides, conducted by Scott Sandmeier. To learn more about SFCM's orchestra program, visitbit.ly/2WPxZ1R
Notes:
The inspiration for The Hebrides overture came to Felix Mendelssohn while he was visiting the eponymous archipelago located off the west coast of Scotland during a walking tour with his friend Karl Klingemann. The two travelers may have been attracted to the remote islands by James MacPherson's infamous "translations" of ancient Gaelic epics concerning the hero Fingal. Although the poems had been debunked as eighteenth-century concoctions from MacPherson's own hand, they remained internationally popular and exerted tremendous influence on the Romantic Movement. The trip was part of Mendelssohn's travels during the years 1829 to 1832 that formed his Grand Tour, a common excursion taken by young men of prominent families to gain cultural literacy. Documentation of such journeys often consisted of letters home or drawings and watercolor paintings; Mendelssohn left all of these plus concert music.
Unlike his overtures A Midsummer Night's Dream and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, The Hebrides was not inspired by a text, but rather by a landscape, an atmosphere. The first sketch Mendelssohn made of his impressions of the Hebrides was literally that-a pen and ink drawing dated August 7, 1829. A letter home bearing the same date and titled "On a Hebridean Island" stated "in order to make you realize how extraordinarily the Hebrides have affected me, the following came into my mind there." Mendelssohn attached a sketch in piano reduction of the first twenty-one bars of the piece, indicating both scoring and dynamics, in almost exactly final form.
Mendelssohn completed and revised the piece in Italy in 1830. He revised it once more in England and France in 1832; Breitkopf and Härtel published the overture in parts in 1834 and full score in 1835. With each new revision and publication came a variation on the title: Mendelssohn called the work The Hebrides, Overture to the Lonely Island, Overture to the Isles of Fingal, Overture to the Hebrides, and Fingal's Cave.
Mendelssohn and Klingemann did not visit the famous "melodious" sea cave until August 8, 1829, a day after Mendelssohn's initial inspiration. However, Mendelssohn's eventual inclusion of the cave in the title inspired his publishers, critics and the public more than the mere idea of the Hebrides themselves. In an 1834 review, the German music periodical Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung wrote, "the title 'zu den Hebriden' is thus far too general ... in listening to this music one should think of Staffa and its famous cave. All of the music bears witness to its simple greatness."
The evolution of the work's title suggests that Mendelssohn was not chained to specificity, but aimed to depict in abstract the atmosphere of the Hebrides archipelago. The piece can be called "characteristic" as easily as "programmatic." Mendelssohn sought an aesthetic that would not directly evoke the music of Scotland, yet would be true to the spirit of the locale; many of his revisions removed traces of complex compositional craft in favor of more primitive, and by extension, exotic language. We can find traces of this even in the repetitions of the first theme, the ornamented descending triads that occur twice on B Minor, twice on D Major, and twice on F-sharp Minor. Here Mendelssohn uses A-natural rather than A-sharp to give a modal character that suggests the ancient. In a letter to his sister Fanny, he claimed he sought a language that favored "train oil, salt fish, and seagulls over counterpoint."
-Notes by Eric Sandoval
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[@yeehaw4014]

I'm 15 and am in a sax quintet, I've been put in charge of finding new music. I found this piece and wanted to listen to it... I'm in love 😂

[@aaronslens]

At first I thought the conductor was standing on the piano.

[@clarestubbs9303]

Aaron Bobeck Ha ha! See what you mean!! 😁

[@gravecactus]

it's really one of the finest pieces of all time.

[@akhtung1]

Melodious. I came here after reading about Fingal's Cave.

[@doubledosed4220]

i have the joy of playing this song and i am only 13! (cello) i hope i can listen to this song everyday! I LOVE THIS PIECE

[@SFConservMusic]

+crystal lite We are happy that you enjoyed this piece! Keep on listening and exploring new pieces in your young life, there is still so much to discover!

[@matthewdunnyveg6112]

San Francisco, I agree with you. I wish I would've discovered classical music at such a young age.

[@melodyz4208]

Same! Which part are you playing? I'm playing cello 1 and it's such a nice piece!!

[@DanielRodrigues-so3id]

I knew this is 3 years old but whatever.... I play the cello as well and at the moment I'm playing this in my orquestra! I'm having a bit of trouble playing it but I'm sure it will be great when the time arrives! Also, I'm 14 but you must be 16 now 😂

[@gravecactus]

i think this is legit the best piece of all time. of all time. god how i miss playing it.

[@oldenweery7510]

Is anyone listening to this old enough to remember "The Lone Ranger" on radio and TV. I firmly believe my love of classical music started because they used so many classical themes as background music in all those shows. I made a list of them and I swear I can hear the Ranger say, "Let's go, Big Fella (meaning Silver)" and Tonto following with "Get 'em up, Scout!" after hearing them.

[@BroamChomskey]

At 4:20 you hear the brass which is like the strength and majesty of the rock answered by the strings which voice the fluidity and beauty of the water washing against and into the cave.

[@twosacrowd]

Wonderful! Fingal's Cave is a short trip for me...relatively...this beautiful playing makes me want to visit it!

[@mkpianofab]

1st chordal progression....B minor-Dmajor-F#minor-B major (to E minor) When I first heard that I was in love.

[@theharry801]

I recently bought a cello, I have a good understanding of music. This is my target

[@mdidimbamvume]

Thanks Felix.

[@csnyder23]

I got the wonderful joy of listening to Academy of St. Martin in The Fields play this. Sat through two hours plus on a hard stone church pew, it was one of the most spiritual moments of my wife and I's life.

[@oldenweery7510]

I started collecting inexpensive 33-1/3 albums in the mid-'50s, one of which was (is!) of famous overtures. The first time I listened to it, I realized I'd heard parts of it before---on the "Lone Ranger" radio and TV shows! I always knew its main theme music was the William Tell Overture's final movement, but the bits from about 6:30 and 9:10 were used as "traveling themes" when the Lone Ranger and Tonto left a scene or arrived at one. "Get'um up, Scout!" "Let's go, Big Fella!" What a music education we got free in those days: The Lone Ranger, Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, and the "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers" serials, not to mention BUGS BUNNY!

[@McGrottomaster]

A wonderful performance -- thank you for posting.

[@rowgli]

Maybe it's just me, but there's almost a visible wave rolls across the orchestra just after 50 seconds. Is it by luck or design that this is so reminiscent of the waves within the cave that this piece is about (visually and sonically)? Either way, it's gorgeous...

[@madisonc6065]

Excellent performance, the passion in this orchestra is very evident.

[@anjieskaya]

conservatory orchestra's sometimes are the best ones. young passionate and etc..., I know , sarcastic, but, not the point.... I pick random orchestra to hear the piece I want, this was outstanding interpretation, wonderful and inspirational... thank you

[@HooDatDonDar]

Who else senses the approach of the Mynah bird?

[@Johnnywilsonforever]

I hoped it would be crossing the scenario at any minute.

[@betoen]

That little fuck is scary.

[@clarestubbs9303]

Yes! Thank you! Was trying to remember the character in the cartoons that this music was associated with!! 😁

[@jasonhogan9747]

Crash Twinsanity Rusty Walrus Chase Level Music brought me here! I never knew that this was a classical song....

[@The1makan]

Magnificent! Rest in peace Mendelssohn. Also thumbs up SF Conservatory of Music Orchestra for such flawless performance!

[@salatielblasperez8948]

Maravillosa interpretación de esta obra del maestro Félix Mendelson

[@carlosrevueltamarti7392]

Esa mágica inspiración de un viaje por la costa escocesa produjo una obra maestra.

[@Gauntlets]

I'm quite surprised nobody on dis video mentioned "the walrus" yet!

[@sonnyboyesollygirl]

SUPER !!! SPLENDID!!! SUBLIME !!!

[@videoTUBEtv]

terrific, terrific ...

[@bigdobba4]

This Englishman approves of your rendition x

[@Nicoya80]

Thanks Looney Tunes :) when you actually good classical music in your cartoons.

[@manooxi327]

Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Walt Disney, Pink Panter,... I remember every episode of them conducting/messing up an orchestra, lots of classics indeed!

[@sonnyboyesollygirl]

SUPER !!! SPLENDID !!!

[@oluchiibe98]

Dang, the concertmaster is really getting into it. He literally almost stood out of his seat Lool.

[@FekMz_7]

AverageGirl hahahahahaa i noticed that too

[@solomonabang1715]

The first flute sounds distinct..bravo

[@lloydknight1730]

great job heavy on the bass but as a bass player I love it

[@shionaannejonessaj7483]

perfect! for this auspicious night as we enter into a new dawn light I found this on purpose for all the giants and the water sprites, heard this as Man created, and now delight in it's grand completion, ready for the great transition!.........we the unseen the underworld dwellers and masters of the rock, we the unclean the overworld disowned the masters of the crystalclock, we the unknown the masters of the abyss and roll and dock......unite! and this be the march of the Fairy King Flock! Lv.S.

[@chatbud]

1st flautist sounds good. The upper strings are a bit unruly.

[@MrBearcub300]

Great

[@frankinbolton]

I like this more than Gardiner and the LSO's version. Well done!

[@ViviennesComfort]

The concertmaster almost flies out of his seat after 3:30!

[@MastrElite]

De La Salle squad watching this!

[@Fherlordx9]

Here comes the Minah's bird

[@windstorm1000]

probably set up for the soloist in the concerto following--

[@BobMoore2468]

only 38 when he dies what a talent .....

[@Anju-so7hj]

im 13 and i play the violin first its ha4 but i like it!

[@SFConservMusic]

+Anju 512 - Keep up the good work, music is a wonderful thing!

[@endersparkmc36]

+Anju 512 I'm 12 and playing first violin! How are you doing with it?

[@AshleyEstradagracer]

+Anju 512 I play the viola and I totally agree. It' so freaking hard, but its pretty.

[@henkmarius6398]

The conductor counts in 4 !

[@kraftpr]

Wonderful! So nice to see these young musicians playing a great classic. Gives one hope for the future -- not all kids are listening to the rap crap and all the utter garbage out there -- my opinion :-)

[@Groovedoove]

Well, maybe I'm pedantic but I have to disagree ;) I love classical music as well - especially playing - but, rationally speaking, it's from the past. The future is a different style of making music. This "Rap crap" however can be quiet nice! I'm, for instance, playing the cello in orchestra and in a small Rap-Combo - it's fun. The important bit is to realise and not neglect the past (the classical music). You can feel at home in both.

[@ksssst]

You don’t have to trash one thing to support another...

[@michaelbalfour3170]

Anna Schüler That is very true and I will keep these words in mind. Very profound.

[@wayfalling4457]

ㅋㅋㅋ

[@sonnyboyesollygirl]

SUPER !!! SPLENDID !!!