Organ Sonata IV

Mendelssohn’s fourth organ sonata is the one on which he worked the longest and it was the final one of the six to be completed. He revised the work intensively up until its publication in 1845. It is widely accepted to be the most cohesive of the set and possibly the most challenging, especially of his metronome markings are to be attempted! Much research has taken place since the sonatas were published in London and Leipzig and it is interesting to read of the opinions on the composer’s phrasing and lack of detailed registration. One could almost imagine much of the work to be written for a pedal piano.