A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March Cover Image

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

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A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March Cover Image
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

By Felix Mendelssohn

Item: 36-A171301
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A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, Op. 61; No. 9: Wedding March: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

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Description
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) wrote music for William Shakespeare's play A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM on two separate occasions. He first wrote the concert overture in E Major, Op. 21 in 1826 at the age of seventeen for no other reason than the love that he and his siblings had for Shakespeare's stage works. He wrote the incidental music, Op. 61 (likely the best-known incidental music in the repertoire) in 1842 as a commission from King Frederick William IV of Prussia. In creating the complete later version, the composer incorporated the original overture, Op. 21 as the overture for the incidental music and the first of the 14 numbers. Starting with what must be four of the most evocative and memorable chords in music, the work also is the origin of this excerpted Wedding March (No. 9) used in so many ceremonies today, commonly referred to as "Here Comes the Bride." The work was premiered in Potsdam, Germany on October 14, 1843 by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, conducted by the composer. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.3.3.1: Timp: Perc(1): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-63-887889-7
ISBN13: 978-1-63-887889-6
UPC: 735816432010
SKU: 36-A171301
Instrumentation: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

More about this title

About the Composer: Felix Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer whose deep engagement with literature shaped his musical voice. A lifelong admirer of Shakespeare, Mendelssohn returned to A Midsummer Night's Dream twice: first composing the overture at seventeen, then creating the full incidental music as a commissioned work sixteen years later. His ability to capture the fantastical and the intimate within orchestral writing made him one of the nineteenth century's most performed composers.

Beyond his theatrical work, Mendelssohn was a virtuoso pianist, conductor, and advocate for Bach's music during an era when the Baroque master was largely forgotten. He founded the Leipzig Conservatory and shaped orchestral practice through his own conducting. His chamber and symphonic works remain central to music education, valued for their clarity, melodic gift, and structural elegance.

Why we love this

This is one of the most recognizable melodies in Western music, yet it sits within a perfectly crafted orchestral score that rewards careful attention to texture and ensemble balance. The Wedding March succeeds because Mendelssohn's orchestration is neither overcomplicated nor thin; conductors can shape the piece with remarkable control while every section hears exactly what they need to lock the ceremony moment. Programming it reminds audiences why Mendelssohn matters beyond the concert hall.

What to expect

Bright and processional, built on the kind of opening gesture that announces something momentous without strain. The melody unfolds with genuine elegance, supported by warm harmonic shifts and orchestration that balances transparency with richness. There is pageantry here, but never bombast; instead, a carefully controlled sense of joy and ceremony.

Who it's for

Orchestras and conductors seeking a wedding or ceremonial moment that carries both popular appeal and musical substance. This score works for professional orchestras, advanced university ensembles, and strong community orchestras comfortable with full Romantic-era instrumentation. The piece sits at a level where musicianship matters as much as technical facility.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the main melody clearly in the first violins, but resist over-amplifying it; the violas and lower strings carry essential harmonic weight that grounds the phrase and prevents the tune from floating away.
  • Shape the dynamic arc across the full sixteen-bar phrase as a single gesture rather than multiple bumps; this creates the ceremonial forward motion the piece requires.
  • Hold ensemble contact on the repeating rhythmic figures in the lower winds and brass; evenness here frees the melodic line to breathe and phrase naturally.
  • Mark the transition to the fortissimo section with clarity, but avoid rushing; let the full orchestra settle into the louder dynamic before the climax lands.

How to use it

Program this as a ceremonial opener or closer when the occasion calls for it, or nest it within a Mendelssohn-focused concert alongside the overture and other numbers from the incidental music. The piece also serves well as a standalone offering at university convocations, donor events, or concert galas where a touch of the familiar is welcome without sacrificing artistry.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing melodic clarity against harmonic and textural support in full orchestra
  • Conducting sustained Romantic-era phrasing across sixteen-bar structures
  • Ensemble precision in repeating rhythmic figures that anchor the melodic line
  • Dynamic shaping and architectural control of a single continuous gesture
  • Orchestration awareness through Mendelssohn's lean yet complete instrumentation

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