In autumn 1830 Mendelssohn Bartholdy visited Venice whilst on a great European tour and was intoxicated by his impressions. He said of the local gondoliers: “The gondoliers are now crying out to one another again, and the lights are reflected deep in the water; one is playing the guitar and singing. It is a merry night.” Perhaps it was with this in mind that Mendelssohn wrote four Venetian Gondola Songs between 1830 and 1841.

• Song without Words (Venetian Gondola Song) g minor op. 19,6
• Piano 4 medium

• Song without Words (Venetian Gondola Song) f sharp minor op. 30,6
• Piano 5 medium

• Gondola Song A major
• Piano 5 medium

• Song without Words (Venetian Gondola Song) a minor op. 62,5
• Piano 5 medium