A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 5: Intermezzo: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

This excerpt gives orchestras access to Mendelssohn's theatrical gift without requiring a production or full evening commitment. The Intermezzo stands beautifully on its own as a concert piece, offering transparent orchestration that rewards ensemble clarity and a lyrical sensibility that audiences find immediately engaging. It's the kind of work that reminds players why they chose to play in an orchestra.

The Intermezzo occupies a charming middle ground between courtly elegance and playful intimacy. Mendelssohn's melodic gift shines in every phrase, with the strings carrying gentle, singing lines while the woodwinds add pastoral color. There's a buoyancy to the orchestration that feels lighter than the famous Wedding March while maintaining the same harmonic sophistication.

Orchestras looking for a substantial but manageable orchestral work suitable for mixed-ability ensembles and concert contexts. The transparent scoring rewards sectional balance and makes it an excellent teaching piece for conductors developing rehearsal efficiency. High school through professional orchestras will find it rewarding both technically and musically.

• Balance the inner woodwind lines carefully; Mendelssohn's economy of material means every voice deserves clarity, particularly when the violins carry the primary melody.
• Shape the phrasing in four-bar and eight-bar blocks rather than over-interpreting phrase boundaries; the classical proportions are part of what makes this movement elegant.
• Let the string section breathe at natural resting points; resist the temptation to rush through transitions, as slight space between ideas makes the form more audible.
• Maintain consistent tempo throughout despite shifts in texture; Mendelssohn's harmony often suggests tempo changes that aren't actually written.

Program this as a palate-cleansing transition between weightier works, or pair it with other Mendelssohn orchestral excerpts for a thematic concert. It also works well as the lighter half of a program structured around Shakespearean themes in music, or as an accessible entry point when introducing students to full orchestral literature.

• Reading compound meters and rhythmic subdivision in a classical framework
• Balancing transparent orchestration with maintained tone quality
• Conducting clear phrase architecture and four-bar structural units
• Coordinating multiple woodwind lines moving independently in the same register
• Responding to Mendelssohn's characteristic harmonic rhythm and cadential structures