Felix Mendelssohn
German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of Jewish descent (1809-1847)
Felix Mendelssohn: composer, conductor and musical organizer
A prodigy in Berlin
Felix Mendelssohn performed in public as a child and studied composition while growing up in Berlin. His family’s musical gatherings offered an early setting for his work, and the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream showed the range of his teenage writing. His sister Fanny was also a musician and remained an important artistic interlocutor.
Bringing Bach back to the stage
In 1829 Mendelssohn conducted Bach’s St Matthew Passion with the Berlin Singakademie, helping bring the work before a new public. Travel through Britain and continental Europe then widened his activity as a pianist and conductor. During these years he wrote concert music including the Italian and Scottish symphonies and collections of Songs Without Words.
Building a musical life in Leipzig
Mendelssohn became conductor of Leipzig’s Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1835. He reshaped its concert practice while continuing to compose, and founded the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843. His Violin Concerto and the oratorio Elijah belong to the later part of his career. He died in 1847, leaving a legacy in both musical works and institutions.