Mendelssohn, biography

Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1809. His mother taught him music at a very young age. Felix would write music for the entire family. His family had Sunday morning Concerts when he, his brother, and two sisters would play for whoever wanted to come. At these concerts Mendelssohn even had a small orchestra.

At nine, Mendelssohn knew piano, organ, and viola and, he conducted and composed. At fifteen years old he had written four unsuccessful operas. Mendelssohn met many composers since he was an accompanist. These composers were Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, and Rossini. One of Mendelssohn's greatest accomplishments, was he wrote the overture to A Midsummer Night's dream. He also studied in Paris and Berlin.

Mendelssohn revived Bach's and Schubert's music after their death. After becoming a conductor, he set new standards in orchestral performance. Unfortunately, Mendelssohn's racial heritage started problems for him, and his popularity ended.

Felix Mendelssohn's Leipzig study

English: The Portrait of Felix Mendelssohn

English: Grave of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, in ...

Although, in England he was welcomed and treated with much respect. He converted to Christianity and used his moms maiden name, Bartholdy. One thing Mendelssohn had that not many other composers had in the romantic pd, is that he had money. He combined the romantic and classical period. This made his music romantic, light, and delicate. Mendelssohn died on November 4th 1847. This most likely because of overwork and sadness of his sister Fanny's death, who was his musical equal. His name will live on forever.