Mendelssohn Seven Character Pieces op. 7 / Six Children's Pieces op. 72

The � Charakterst?cke op. 7� and � Kinderst?cke op. 72� are Mendelssohn�s most popular piano albums besides his �Lieder ohne Worte � and the �Variations s?rieuses op. 54�. Robert Schumann described the character pieces as an �interesting contribution to the development� of the �masterful youth�. The compositions mostly dating from 1827, are essentially the result of his lessons with Carl Friedrich Zelter in Berlin . The teacher encouraged his pupil to immerse himself in the strict style of old music�, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach, but at the same time, as he himself said, confidently allowed Mendelssohn to dream of �dragons and goblins�. In the 19th century, learning the piano was regarded as a highly desirable accomplishment. The demand for piano lessons for children led rapidly to the development of a repertoire suitable for this age-group. Albums for children were particularly popular around the mid-19th century and were popular presents for children�s birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. Mendelssohn�s � Kinderst?cke op. 72� were published in London in 1847, the year of his death, under the title �Christmas Present for His Young Friends�. The edition contains both piano cycles in the versions published in the first edition, and an extensive appendix also includes variants and early versions which survive in different autograph manuscripts