The preludes contained in Felix Mendelssohn's collection of Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35, show a wonderfully non-affinity with one another: each is unique in tone, gesture, and to some degree basic style. Were one playing the six Preludes and Fugues in order (something that perhaps was never intended), one would have to make a tricky shift of gears between the gentle, stream-like prelude and aristocratic, academic fugue of Op. 35, No. 4, in A flat major and the prelude of Op. 35, No. 5, in F minor. For this Andante lento is of a steady, serious stock not yet heard in Opus 35. Its melody would perhaps be light and lyric enough in another context, but sitting as it does atop the quietly throbbing chords of the left hand, it is like the raspy, passionate breath of a man plowing headlong to a fate he knows is dire but which he nevertheless is powerless to prevent. Mendelssohn uses the minor mode elsewhere in Opus 35 (No. 1 in E minor, No. 3 in B minor), but not with such demanding presence of grim purpose -- and the F minor Prelude is grim even though it is mostly quiet (mostly, mind you: there is volume to spare at the crashing central climax!) and despite a glowing change to the major mode in the last bars.

The style of Vivaldi is invoked as the subject for the fugue (Allegro con fuoco) is announced by the treble voice. In this quick-footed essay that most unusual of musical effects is applied: good cheer and vitality in a minor mode context (and Mendelssohn does not even bother with a Picardy third at the end).

Source: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn).

Although originally created for Piano, I created this Interpretation of the Fugue in F Minor (Op. 35 No. 4) for Viola Quartet