Preludes and Fugues: Not Just for Lutherans anymore (Mendelssohn's Prelude and Fugue in Em)

While Mendelssohn's Prelude and Fugue in Em undoubtedly contain elements that belong to him and to the Romantic period, it still cannot help but be noticed how insistent he is on sounding like someone else. Who? Here are a few clues:

1. He was German
2. His name has four letters (but isn't dirty... like some four-lettered words.)
3. He made Buxtehude very jealous. All the time.

Of course, when 'prelude and fugue' is mentioned, the first person that comes to mind is Bach, and Mendelssohn's work is not one to deny that influential link. Similar textures, and harmonic structures establish this work as one that imitates Bach.

But why just write someone else's style? Mendelssohn's answer: you don't. While the prelude is similar to Bach's, the accompaniment sounds like it belongs more to the Romantic than the baroque. The fugue contains elements that would never be seen in Bach's manuscripts as well: tempo changes, articulations, dynamic markings. The romantic toolbox is applied fairly heavily. Mendelssohn also combines forms to produce his work, perhaps paying homage to Bach by adding a chorale section at the end of the piece. This also seems to fit the bill for romantic compositions: a form change that keeps elements of the old, and expands them to fit the individual's intent.