孟德爾頌的《最初的沃布爾吉斯之夜》Op. 60是一部包含獨唱、混聲合唱，與管弦樂團的清唱劇。歌詞來自歌德的同名詩作，孟德爾頌於1831年開始創作，1832年初版首演後這部作品被擱置了一段時間，1842年底孟德爾頌開始修改，1843年修訂後的演出大受歡迎，同年樂譜正式出版。
「沃布爾吉斯之夜」的形象受到歌德的《浮士德》及其他民間故事影響，一般的認知是「女巫之夜」。但這首敘事詩內容與《浮士德》的場景不同，它是描述在冬天過去、春天來臨的時節，德魯伊教徒們假扮成基督徒害怕的魔鬼，嚇跑基督徒，以便在山上舉行古老的、神聖的祭典。
由於敘事詩的內容，加上歌德明示這首詩「具有高度象徵意義」，引發學者討論孟德爾頌選擇這首詩譜寫音樂，是否與他的猶太血統認同有關。
本篇論文先介紹孟德爾頌的猶太背景，再介紹歌德詩文的由來以及內容牽涉到的歷史，和孟德爾頌寫作此曲的歷程與想法，然後是研究者對於樂曲的分析，以及指揮詮釋和排練演出經驗，提供日後展演的參考。

Mendelssohn's “Die erste Walpurgisnacht” Op. 60 is a cantata for soloists, mixed choir, and orchestra. The lyrics are based on Goethe's poem of the same name. Mendelssohn began composing the piece in 1831; after its premiere in 1832, he set the cantata aside for a decade. Towards the end of 1842, Mendelssohn began making revisions; after the 1843 revision, the performance was well received. The score was officially published the same year.
The imagery of “Die erste Walpurgisnacht” is influenced by Goethe’s “Faust” and other folk tales, commonly perceived as a “witches’ night”. However, this work differs from the scenes in “Faust”. It depicts the time when winter is passing and spring is approaching, with the Druids disguising themselves as devils to scare away the Christians, allowing them to hold ancient sacred rituals in the mountains.
Due to the content of the poem, and Goethe’s indication that it “has highly symbolic significance”, scholars have discussed whether Mendelssohn’s choice of this text for his musical composition is related to his Jewish identity.
This thesis begins with an overview of Mendelssohn and his family's relationship to their Jewish heritage. Next, it explores the origins and historical context of Goethe's poem, as well as Mendelssohn's process and thoughts in composing his cantata based on Goethe's text. A review of the scholarly literature focused on the piece is presented. Finally, the thesis gives an interpretation of the work from the perspective of a conductor, including this author's experience rehearsing the piece. This will serve as a potential guide for future performances.

王健安。《用觀念讀懂世界歷史—科學革命至當代世界》。商周出版，2015。
朱和之、台北愛樂室內及管弦樂團。《指揮大師亨利．梅哲—把生命獻給台灣的音樂傳教士》。臺北：先覺，2002。
徐頌仁。《音樂演奏的實務探討》。臺北：全音，1992。
許鐘榮 編。《浪漫派的先驅》。台北：錦繡出版事業股份有限公司，1999。
凱特琳、艾米。《有關女巫。台北：蓋亞。2006。
廖年賦。《管弦樂指揮研究》。臺北：全音，1992。
盧文雅。《猶唱新歌》。國立台北藝術大學；遠流，2022。
龔琛。《凱爾特神話—精靈•大法師•·超自然的魔法之鄉》。漫遊者文化出版。2021。
池上正太。《凱爾特神話事典》。王書銘 譯。台北，奇幻基地出版；城邦文化發行。2015。
原聖。《凱爾特•最初的歐洲；被羅馬與基督教覆蓋的文化水脈》。鄭天恩 譯。八旗文化出版；遠足文化發行。2019。
Mozelle Moshansky.《偉大作曲家群像：孟德爾頌》。陳素英 譯。智庫出版。1995。
Shmuel Feiner.《摩西•孟德爾松：啟蒙時代的猶太思想家》。李中文 譯。台北市：時報文化。2014。
江玉玲。《關渡音樂學刊》，〈猶太教與基督教意識下的孟德爾頌家族姓氏更迭〉第35期，2022年2月。
張皓閔。從黑夜到光明—孟德爾頌的《讚美歌》和馬勒的第二號交響曲。國立臺灣師範大學音樂學系音樂學組碩士論文。2013。
錢桑香。哈茨山的女巫與其他傳說故事對當地觀光的影響。國立臺灣師範大學歐洲文化與觀光研究所碩士論文。2017。
國家教育研究院—雙語詞彙網站https://terms.naer.edu.tw/. 最後檢索日2024年6月23日。
節目冊。「台北國際合唱節，TICF10閉幕音樂會--孟德爾頌《女巫之夜》」。台北國家音樂廳。2010。
節目冊。「NSO《璀璨之聲》孟德爾頌之夜」，台北國家音樂廳。2023.3.17。
中時新聞網。「指揮家艾爾茲首次來台演出罕見曲目『女巫之夜』」(2023.3.15)。https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20230315002449-260405?chdtv。最後檢索日2024年6月23日。
Cooper, John Michael; Prandi, Julie D. (eds.). The Mendelssohns: their music in history. Oxford University Press, 2002.
Cooper, John Michael. Mendelssohn, Goethe, and the Walpurgis Night. University of Rochester Press, 2007.
Cooper, John Michael. Chapter 11: “For You See I Am the Eternal Objector”: On Performing Mendelssohn’s Music in Translation. in Reichwated, Siegwart (ed.), Mendelssohn in Performance. Indiana University Press, 2008.
Eatock, Colin Timothy. Mendelssohn and Victorian England. Routledge, 2009.
Kramer, Lawrence. ‘Felix culpa: Goethe and the Image of Mendelssohn’, in Mendelssohn Studies, R. Larry Todd (ed.). Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Lonigan, Paul R. The Druids: Priests of the Ancient Celts. Praeger, 1996.
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Karl. Goethe and Mendelssohn (1821-1831). M. E. von Glehn (tr.). London, Macmillan and co., 1872.
Mercer-Taylor, Peter Jameson. The Life of Mendelssohn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Reichwated, Siegwart. Chapter 10: Mendelssohn’s Tempo Indications, in Siegwart Reichwated (ed.). Mendelssohn in Performance. Indiana University Press, 2008.
Sposato, Jeffrey S. The Price of Assimitation: Felix Mendelssohn and the Nineteenth-Century Anti-Semitic Tradition. Oxford, 2005.
Sposato, Jeffrey S. ‘Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’. in Di Grazia, Donna Marie (ed.). Nineteenth-century choral music. New York; London: Routledge Press, 2013.
Todd, R. Larry (ed.). Mendelssohn and his world. Leon Botstein, 1991.
Todd, R. Larry. Mendelssohn: A Life in Music. Oxford University, 2003.
Zelter, Karl Friedrich; Coleridge, Arthur Duke. (eds.) Letters to Zelter, with extracts from those of Zelter to Goethe. London, Bell, 1887.
Melhorn, Catharine Rose. Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, thesis for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, 1983.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. Die erste Walpurgisnacht. 雙鋼琴譜。IMSLP. August Horn (ed.), Leipzig: C.F. Peters, 1850. https://imslp.org/wiki/Die_erste_Walpurgisnacht,_Op.60_(Mendelssohn,_Felix). Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. Die erste Walpurgisnacht. Stuttgart: Carus-Verlag, 2019. （總譜、分譜、聲樂與鋼琴譜）
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. IMSLP. Moscow: Muzgiz, 1960. https://imslp.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night%27s_Dream,_overture,_Op.21_(Mendelssohn,_Felix). Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Harzer Tourismusverband e.V. (哈茨山旅遊聯盟網站)。https://en.harzinfo.de/pure-nature/mount-brocken. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and Switzerland. Lady Wallace (tr.). Gutenberg, 2012. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39384/39384-h/39384-h.htm. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. Letters of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy from 1833 to 1847, Paul & Carl Mendessohn-Bartholdy, (ed.), Lady (Grace Jane) Wallace (tr.). Gutenberg, 2015. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50473. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. (柏林歌唱學院)。https://www.sing-akademie.de/. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
台北國際合唱音樂節。TICF10閉幕音樂會—孟德爾頌《女巫之夜》Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht, op. 60。https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCEYABPhLwI。2010。最後檢索日2024年6月23日。
Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkH7hUVSDfQ. 2014. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Houston Symphony Chorus. (發布者：Ignacio Dayrit). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgP_CpSpjI. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Lamont School of Music. Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht - Lamont Symphony & Choirs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVlQu0IJ7D0&t=1s. 2018. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Klassik | SWR Kultur. Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWgZcAgvtiU&t=1s. 2023. Accessed: June 23, 2024.
Singersababel. https://www.singersbabel.com/.
ZenePlusz. Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht. (發布者：Budafoki Dohnányi Zenekar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RrzjtQGYwg&t=3s. 2020. Accessed: June 23, 2024.