Final answer:
In Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, d) the first subject returns unchanged from the exposition during the recapitulation, which maintains thematic consistency and structural clarity of the piece.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, the first subject returns during the recapitulation. The style in classical symphonic form is that the recapitulation serves as a return to the familiar melody introduced during the exposition.
However, it is typically expected to return in the home key, which usually provides a sense of resolution. In the case of Hebrides, Mendelssohn chose to bring the first subject back unchanged from the exposition.
This choice helps to maintain thematic consistency and contributes to the overall cohesiveness of the overture.
It is common for the recapitulation section to alter the orchestration or the key to some extent, but in this work, Mendelssohn retains the same key and orchestration, making the piece an exemplary model of structural clarity and balance.