A brief lyric piece for cello and piano, the only one of Mendelssohn's "Lieder ohne Worte" (Songs without Words) composed for cello rather than piano solo. Written in 1845 and published posthumously, the work is a single unbroken melodic arc in the composer's most intimate vein, often programmed as an encore or as the emotional centre of a shorter recital. Its demands are interpretive rather than technical: simple surface, sustained expressive line.
Lied ohne Worte in D major Op. 109
cellopianoromanticcharacter piece~5 minintermediate
Difficulty
Technical
Intermediate
Technical demands are modest; it is the simplicity that exposes the player.
Stamina
Light
Five minutes, single arc.
Interpretive
Advanced
Sustained singing line; the whole piece is one expressive breath.
Ensemble
Intermediate
Piano accompaniment with a clear supporting role.
Performer's notes
Structural landmarks
Andante espressivo
Interpretive schools
Editions
Breitkopf & Härtel
Part of Breitkopf's historic complete works of Mendelssohn. Standard performance text for over a century.
Henle Verlag
Urtext edition based on manuscript sources. Includes a short critical report.
Recordings
Pedagogical arc
Prepare with
Natural next
External references