(1809–1847) was a child prodigy whose short life produced some of the greatest
early Romantic music. Mendelssohn wrote this stunning overture in 1826 when he was 17 years old to accompany Shakespeare’s play.
(For a recording, visit the page for the
Caspar Petrus Koch (1872-1970), a German immigrant at age nine, was a hard-working
organist who held sway over Pittsburgh for over 50 years. Although he did not compose anything for the organ, he left us an impressive
collection of transcriptions and arrangements. During the 19th and much of the 20th century, it was expected that one would hear the
standards of the musical repertoire at any organ recital. Koch gave more than 2,000 of these recitals, and he left us his transcriptions
as part of his legacy. His transcription of Mendelssohn’s
Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s
Dream” contains the entire symphonic music in a virtuoso organ arrangement. Much of this is fast and exciting for
the audience and requires good technique from the organist. Moderately difficult to difficult.