Born: 3 February 1809; Hamburg,
Germany
Died: 4 November 1847; Leipzig,
Germany
Nationality: German
Occupation: composer, pianist,
organist, conductor
Felix Mendelssohn was a German
composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period, who was
born on February 3, 1809, and died on November 4, 1847.
Mendelssohn's works include
symphonies, concertos, piano music and chamber music. His most famous works
include A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Italian Symphony, the Scottish Symphony,
the oratorio Elijah, the overture The Hebrides, Violin Concerto, and String
Octet. The melody for the Christmas carol "Hark! The Herald Angels
Sing" is also his work, and Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words"
is his most famous piano solo compositions.
Felix Mendelssohn, a grandson of
the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, was born in a famous Jewish family and grew
up without religion until the age of seven, when he was baptized as a Reformed
Christian. He was recognized early as a musical prodigy, but his parents didn’t
want to capitalize on his talent.
Mendelssohn's wife Cécile, Eduard Magnus (1846)
Mendelssohn was early successful in
Germany, and in particular, in 1829, the performance of the St Matthew Passion revived
interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was well-received as a
composer, conductor and soloist in his travels throughout Europe, where ten visits
to Britain featuring many of his major works were premiered formed an important
part of his musical career.
The Mendelssohn monument near Leipzig's St. Thomas Church
His conservative musical tastes differentiated him
from more adventurous musical contemporaries such as Franz Liszt, Richard
Wagner, Charles-Valentin Alkan and Hector Berlioz. The Leipzig Conservatory he
founded became a musical bastion of the anti-radical perspective.
Mendelssohn's study in Leipzig
Mendelssohn's
music has been underestimated for a long time due to changing musical tastes
and antisemitism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, after
that, his musical creativity and originality were re-evaluated, and Mendelssohn
is now regarded as one of the most famous composers of the Romantic era.
Mendelssohn's gravestone, Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof
Thank you.
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