Born:
February 3, 1809, his parents were Abraham Mendelssohn and Leah Salomon. His father was a banker.
Birthplace:
Hamburg, Germany
Died:
November 4, 1847 after suffering from a stroke. He was buried in Berlin.
Also Known As:
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was a prolific composer of the Romantic period. He was a piano and violin virtuoso, a maestro and conductor. He was the founder of Leipzig Conservatory. He was the brother of composer Fanny Mendelssohn and grandson of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn.
Type of Compositions:
Aside from his compositions for the piano, he also wrote symphonies, operas, vocal works, choral and organ works. He wrote in every music form except opera.
Influence:
Among his influences are his piano teachers, Ludwig Berger and Karl. F. Zelter, taught him composition. He also became friends with the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He was also inspired by the works of William Shakespeare.
Notable Works:
Some of his most notable works are: "Octet for Strings in E flat major, Op. 20," "A Midsummer Night's Dream Opus 21," "Hebrides Overture," "Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us," and "Italian Symphony."
Interesting Facts:
Felix Mendelssohn came from a well-to-do family and was very close to them. He composed his "Octet for Strings in E flat major, Op. 20" when he was just 16 years old. In 1829, he conducted Johann Sebastian Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" in Berlin. He became music director in Düsseldorf in 1833 and in 1835, became conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. Felix and his sister Fanny remained close throughout their lives; they would often collaborate and perform together. They were so close that when Fanny died in 1847, Felix is said to have become so depressed and died 6 months later.
Music Sample:
Listen to Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" from A Midsummer Night's Dream courtesy of YouTube.
