Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

Symphony No. 5 in D, op. 107: Reformation

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) wrote his Symphony No. 5 in D, Op. 107 'Reformation' in 1830. It was composed to honor the 300th anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession, a Lutheran holiday that celebrates the Presentation of the Confession to Emperor Charles V in 1530. The work was actually the second large symphonic work composed by Mendelssohn, but it is referred to as the fifth as it was published in 1868, 21 years after the composer's death. The moniker 'Reformation Symphony' was given to the work by Mendelssohn's sister, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel. While it was supposed to first be played in Paris in December of 1831, the musicians refused to perform it, complaining that it had too much counterpoint and lacked melody. The actual premiere occurred in Berlin November 15, 1832. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2+CBsn: 2.2.3.0: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).