(gentle music) - [Announcer] This is a production of South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

(orchestral music) - Isn't that beautiful?

Welcome back to our exploration of the orchestra through Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony.

A symphony is generally made up of contrasting movements, at least one of which is slow and expressive.

Mendelssohn is famous for writing piano pieces he called "Songs Without Words."

Think about that, no voices, no words being sung yet the music sings by itself.

Let's listen to that melody again here played by the cellos.

The cello has often been compared to the human voice.

(cello orchestral music) A new musical idea is then introduced, beginning very quietly in the low woodwinds, the clarinets, the bassoons, along with the French horns.

It doesn't sound like a fanfare to begin with, but listen to how it builds as instruments are added including the trumpets and the timpani, making a huge crescendo until the full orchestra is playing very loudly.

(orchestral music) To accompany the melody we heard at the beginning, Mendelssohn uses a special technique for the strings called pizzicato.

This is when the string is plucked rather than played with a bow.

(pizzicato orchestral music) Now let's hear this third movement of Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony, "A Song Without Words."

You also see some of his artwork alongside photos of the same place as he was sketching so that you can see how he shared these experiences with his family.

(orchestral music) (audience applauding)