As Wagner called him a "first-rate landscape painter," Mendelssohn demonstrated his talent in depicting scenes and composing program music.

In the form of these "songs without words," or "Lieder ohne Worte," Mendelssohn expressed even inner landscapes and emotional depictions. As these are instrumental pieces with song-like melodies, it is important to make the melodic line stand out clearly and perform them lyrically.

During the period when Mendelssohn was active, the piano became widely popular as a cultural pursuit, especially among bourgeois families. Consequently, many pieces were composed that could be easily played at home, and the Lieder ohne Worte is one such collection.

The Lieder ohne Worte consists of eight books, each containing six pieces. Only up to Book 6 was published during Mendelssohn's lifetime. Book 7 was published in 1851, and Book 8 in 1867. When Mendelssohn published Book 1 in 1832, he titled it Melodies for the Piano; the collection came to be known as Lieder ohne Worte only after the publication of Book 2 in 1835.

Many pieces have titles, but only a few were given by the composer himself. Indeed, Mendelssohn seems to have disliked the idea that adding titles would limit musical imagination.

Book 8

Similar to Book 7, this collection was also published posthumously.

This collection also contains no titles given by Mendelssohn himself.

• 1. E minor, "Homeless" / Op. 102, No. 1 (1842)
• 2. D major, "Remembrance" / Op. 102, No. 2 (1845)
• 3. C major, "Tarantella" / Op. 102, No. 3 (1845)
  Believed to have been composed as a Christmas piece.
  Mendelssohn showed a strong interest in passionate Italian dances, and here he employs a fast Italianate dance in 6/8 time. The chordal accompaniment should be very light.
• 4. G minor, "The Sighing Wind" / Op. 102, No. 4 (Date unknown)
• 5. A major, "The Joyful Peasant" / Op. 102, No. 5 (1845)
  Completed on the same day as the Tarantella, and similarly believed to have been composed as a Christmas piece.
  Also known as "Children's Piece" and widely beloved. Features thematic interplay and voice alternation.
• 6. C major, "Faith" / Op. 102, No. 6 (Date unknown)