Felix Mendelssohn - Fingalshöhle (Die Hebriden)

 In his first visit to England in 1829, Mendelssohn visited Scotland where he started composing his 3rd Symphony, also known as Scottish. While residing there, he went on a tour to the Staffa Island, where he was spellbound by a sea cave known as Fingal's Cave, which had beautiful black basalt pillars. Mendelssohn was so awestruck by the beauty that he composed the first theme right after seeing the Island and sent it to his sister in a letter. 

The piece itself, is a concert overture, which essentially means that it is performed as a standalone piece without any correlation with a stage performance (Music historians believe that Mendelssohn himself was the first one to start the concept of a concert overture stemming from his overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream). The composition involves two primary themes.

The 1st theme is played by the violin and the cello and is a very lyrical theme which was inspired by the beauty of the cave.

The 2nd theme is opened by the bassoon and then it is followed by a violin which then goes into a storm in the sea. Following that there is a lull, which is then followed by the gull motif brought about by the woodwinds. And soon the theme now proceeds as stecatto - meaning, that the notes are articulated in a crisp disjoint manner - as if to signify the rain. Lastly, we hear the clarinets playing the 2nd theme again which mimics the echo of the cave! 

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