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

(lighthearted music) (upbeat orchestra music) (upbeat orchestra music) - Welcome back to our exploration of the orchestra through the music of Felix Mendelssohn's symphony number three.

Towards the end of his Scottish journey, Mendelssohn wrote to his family, "How much lies between my last letter and this."

The most fearful sickness, scenery, travels, people.

Klingerman has described it all, and you will excuse the short note.

"The more so is what I can tell you is contained in the above music."

Did you get that?

He actually wrote the music down in his letter.

He continues.

"We've been happy together roaming around the country, as gaily as if storm and rain had not existed.

But they did exist, we had weather to make trees and rocks crash."

You can almost hear that kind of weather in the beginning of this last movement.

(upbeat orchestra music) A contrasting musical idea then comes in the oboes and clarinets.

Kind of eerie sounding but beautiful with a dark color.

This second theme becomes very important during this movement.

(smooth orchestral music) The whole movement is very dramatic and in a minor key somewhat dark, which gives you the sense that something important is about to happen.

From what we've read of Mendelssohn's letters so far, he obviously felt a lot of emotions during this trip.

Happy, sad, even scared.

All of this comes out in his music as we've heard.

Here is how he concludes his last letter before heading home.

"We too have been happy enough laughing, rhyming, sketching, growling at each other and at the world.

Eating everything eatable and sleeping for 12 hours every night.

We won't forget it as long as we live."

And the symphony ends this way too, with a very Scottish tune, again beginning with the low instruments of the orchestra and rising to include all the instruments in a joyous climactic musical romp.

Here you can listen for the brass section and timpani, which shine through at the climax.

(high intensity orchestra music) And now please enjoy the last movement, the finale of Mendelssohn's symphony number three, "The Scottish."

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