Felix Mendelssohn’s Fantasy (“Scottish Sonata”): the impact of genre attribution on performance interpretation

Section 2. Ukrainian and World Musical Culture

Abstract

Statement of the problem. The Fantasie in F-sharp minor, op. 28, known by Mendelssohn’s subtitle “Scottish Sonata”, combines elements of sonata form with the improvisatory freedom of a fantasy. Despite its concert popularity, its genre attribution and performance interpretation remain insufficiently studied, limiting contemporary pianists’ understanding of the work. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The article aims to clarify the genre nature of Op. 28 by examining benchmark recordings and performance practices of M. Grinberg, A. Schiff, and R. Prosseda, and to identify how divergent interpretive strategies illuminate the work’s hybrid design. The study’s scientific novelty lies in correlating systematic performance evidence with formal-textual analysis to demonstrate that Op. 28 embodies a deliberate synthesis of sonata dramaturgy and fantasia logic — an insight that reframes interpretive options. Methodologically, the research employs: (1) genre analysis to specify defining traits of the fantasia and sonata hybrids; (2) stylistic analysis to situate the work in Mendelssohn’s early–middle period aesthetics; (3) functional-structural analysis to map relations of form and musical content; (4) performance analysis focused on tempo, articulation, pedalling and timbral strategies; and (5) comparative-interpretive methods to extract invariant and variant parameters across recorded readings. These complementary methods together enable a direct link between compositional intent and performative realization. Research results. Op. 28 is a single-movement macroform with three functional sections: the opening Andante exhibits sonata traits and improvisational fantasy elements; the middle Allegro con moto features Scottish-style rhythmic patterns; the Presto finale has rondo-sonata characteristics. The texture integrates classical pianistic techniques with “orchestral” solutions, including wide-register leaps, chordal clusters, and pedal-induced sound masses. The performance approaches are varies: Grinberg emphasizes structural clarity and restraint; Schiff highlights psychological flexibility and cantabile phrasing; Prosseda stresses orchestral fullness. All interpretations share attention to polyphonic processes, harmonic dynamics, and expressive tempo shaping. Conclusion. Op. 28 represents a model of Romantic genre synthesis, merging sonata logic with improvisatory freedom. This combination explains the diversity of performance interpretations and requires strategies balancing structural transparency with improvisational expressiveness.