LINDA SEYMOUR (Contralto)
WALTER GLYNNE (Tenor)
THE GERSHOM PARKINGTON QUINTET
Selection, Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words
THESE pieces of Mendelssohn's, written originally for pianoforte solo, are so aptly described by the name which he gave them that it is difficult to understand why the original English edition fought shy of the title. On their first appearance in this country they were called Instrumental Lieder for Klavier, or Songs for the Pianoforte Alone. In 1832 the first set appeared in London as Original Melodies for the Pianoforte, and only some years later did the original German title, and eventually the English translation of it which is now so universally known, make their appearance. Another astonishing thing about them, in view of the way in which they have since made themselves at home throughout this country, is that very few copies were sold in the first years after their publication here.
Mendelssohn himself regarded them as rather trifling works, and on one occasion spoke of them as ' Animalculse ' ; none the less, they do embody many of his freshest melodic ideas, and are clearly destined to keep the strong hold which they have on the affections, not only of pianists, but of those who like them in the many arrangements which have been made of them. 4.8 QUINTET Selection of Chopin's Preludes (For 4.55—5.30 Programmes see opposite page)