# The Hebrides Overture — Mendelssohn



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

This piece of music is something special! It creates an unique atmosphere. Listening to it, I immediatedly feel I am taken to another time and place — even if the musical means to achieve that are not complicated. Do you have similar experiences?

Mendelssohn´s orchestral writing is gorgeous and most balanced, ahead of it´s time, even. Considering it was composed only 3 years after Beethoven´s death.

In my opinion, the work is an early tone poem or a symphonic poem. The extra title by the publisher, "Fingal´s Cave", is unnecessary and should be removed: the atmosphere has got nothing to do with a cave. It is all ocean, landscape, solitude, epic old tales.

Brahms adored the piece and for a good reason. Lets discuss this masterpiece!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

"It was inspired by one of Mendelssohn's trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal's Cave. It was reported that the composer immediately jotted down the opening theme for his composition after seeing the island. He at first called the work To the Lonely Island or Zur einsamen Insel, but then settled on the present title. However, in 1834, the year after the first publication, Breitkopf & Härtel issued an edition with the name Fingalshöhle (Fingal's Cave) and this title stuck, causing some confusion."


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

It's probably Mendelssohn's greatest orchestral work, an absolutely perfect synthesis of classical form and romantic content.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I adore that piece, Bernstein on DG make my day every day.
( And a few others Haitink -Abbado Maag, to name a few.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

One of the pieces I've loved most for longest in the whole of the repertoire.

Karajan and the Berliners do it wonderfully well.


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## ttc359 (11 mo ago)

I think Wagner (ironies of ironies) admired this and said it was the best thing FM wrote. 
This was the first classical LP I ever bought (Karajan, BPO).


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Both this and Wagner's Tannhauser Overture are my absolute favorites of the genre. My preferred interpretations for the Hebrides are Maag/London Symphony and Reiner/Chicago Symphony.


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## ansfelden (Jan 11, 2022)

Waehnen said:


> the atmosphere has got nothing to do with a cave. It is all ocean, landscape, solitude, epic old tales.


yes, perfect description!


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

I think it's marvelous and I too like the recording of Bernstein on DG , the other ones being Maag & London Symphony Orchestra , Abbado ,...


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

_Hebrides_ Overture: My favorite work by Mendelssohn.
But then, I was a big "Lone Ranger" fan as a kid. The _Hebrides_, or "Fingal´s Cave", is the _other_ classical music piece associated with the Clayton Moore / Jay Silverheels series. It's not the theme music,but is used quite often when a bit of drama is about to happen, which in the "Lone Ranger" shows is often. Maybe they should call the piece "Tonto's Cave".

,


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

Used to listen to Szell, just listened to Maag and a new world opened to me. What an incredible recording! Exciting, Brisk and extremely well played. Compared to Maag Szell just isn’t very exciting, which is very important to me


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

SONNET CLV said:


> _Hebrides_ Overture: My favorite work by Mendelssohn.
> But then, I was a big "Lone Ranger" fan as a kid. The _Hebrides_, or "Fingal´s Cave", is the _other_ classical music piece associated with the Clayton Moore / Jay Silverheels series. It's not the theme music,but is used quite often when a bit of drama is about to happen, which in the "Lone Ranger" shows is often. Maybe they should call the piece "Tonto's Cave".
> 
> ,


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I realized only today that _'Lemminkäinen ja saaren neidot'_ shares a similar wonderful epic atmosphere and feeling of old times with the Hebrides Overture. I cannot fathom why Sibelius approved of only 2 movements of the Lemminkäinen Legends. The Maidens of Saari is absolutely wonderful. Listened to a version conducted by Eugene Ormandy today.


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## Otis B. Driftwood (4 mo ago)

A wonderful piece and a highlight of the romantic movement. My recording of choice;


Spoiler


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