# Mendelssohn Symphonies



## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Always thought that Mendelssohn composed five symphonies but according to my book, he composed eight. What are the other three?


----------



## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

According to this wiki there are two lost works referred to as _Kindersymphonies_. And he later added winds to his 8th String Symphony, so I suppose that could be considered another symphony as well.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Dunno. He composed 12 string symphonies in his mid-teens that are mostly quite good and have several recordings available. They sound like he'd been studying his Bach pretty vigorously -- and effectively!

I can find no references to any other symphonies except for his five numbered symphonies, the first of which was written at age 15.


----------



## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Juvenilia, I expect.


----------



## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

It's probably most accurate to say that Mendelssohn wrote four symphonies, with the order of composition (not publication) being 1, 5, 4, 3.

_Lobgesang_, which was published as his Symphony No. 2, is no longer considered as one of his symphonic works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobgesang


----------



## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

The piece looks and quacks like a symphony, so I will still call it a duck.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Skilmarilion said:


> It's probably most accurate to say that Mendelssohn wrote four symphonies, with the order of composition (not publication) being* 1, 5, 4, 3*.


That is the order I listen to them in for the very reason that is the order in which they were written.


----------



## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

The Leipzig edition of Mendelssohn's works lists 19 items under Symphonies: the 12 string symphonies, no.1, the Reformation, the Italian, the Scottish, a single movement, and two fragments.

So maybe take away the string symphonies and add the Lobgesang to get 8 ??


----------



## Justin5 (Sep 19, 2017)

Oh， no. I don't know.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Justin5 said:


> Oh， no. I don't know.


That's why we are here, learning new things each day, welcome to Talk Classical.


----------

