Mendelssohn Piano Concerto in G Minor

Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2026-05-31 Diary Coverage: Carnet 005 (June 1873)

Overview

Felix Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (1830–31), premiered in Munich on 17 October 1831 with the composer as soloist. It is a brilliant three-movement work that became one of the most popular piano concertos of the 19th century, famously performed by Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt. The concerto is notable for its innovative continuous structure (all three movements played without pause) and its dazzling keyboard passagework. (Source: Wikipedia, "Piano Concerto No. 1 (Mendelssohn)".)

Relevance to Marie

Marie was studying this concerto with her piano teacher Manotte in Nice in spring–summer 1873. She notes playing "une partie du concerto en sol mineur de Mendelssohn sans une seule faute" — a section of the concerto without a single mistake — to Manotte's great satisfaction.

Marie and this work: all mentions

Marie plays it as a showpiece for her teacher Manotte in 1873, and once calls it "en la mineur". Mendelssohn wrote no A-minor piano concerto (his other piano concerto, No. 2 Op. 40, is in D minor), so "la mineur" in 006.0181 and 010.0127 is taken here as Marie's slip for the same G-minor work: the "presto" and "andante" she names correspond to its fast finale and slow middle movement.

• 005.0213 (7 Jun 1873, Nice): plays part of it "sans une seule faute" for Manotte.
• 006.0181 (4 Jul 1873): compares the "presto du concerto en la mineur de Mendelssohn" with Strauss's Egyptian March, as one resembles the other as the Apollo Belvedere resembles Hamilton.
• 006.0233 (12 Jul 1873): "quatre heures et demie de piano, le concerto de Mendelssohn en sol mineur terminé."
• 010.0127 (29 Sep 1873): at the Villa Baquis she plays the andante and the guests do not like it, while Manotte's La fille de Mme Angot does.

Diary References

• June 8, 1873 (005.0213): "J'ai joué une partie du concerto en sol mineur de Mendelssohn sans une seule faute. Il est dix heures et demie quand je termine, je suis fatiguée."