“The Life and Works of Felix Mendelssohn”

Regarded by some critics as the 19th century equivalent of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn was arguably one of the most influential composers of his era. From simply observing the quality and amount of the musical compositions he wrote in his brief lifetime, he has certainly proved to be comparable to Mozart. Unfortunately he also suffered similar hardships late in life, which ultimately led to an early death. Even so, his compositions amount to approximately eleven symphonies, five operas, an octet, and many other pieces for the piano, organ and chamber orchestra.

Mendelssohn was born in 1809, into a highly artistic and intellectual family. He showed signs of true genius from early childhood and even at a young age he reflected the true talent of a prodigy, by playing both the piano and the violin, painting, and being gifted in languages. At twelve years old, Mendelssohn and his sister Fanny travelled to Paris to study the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach. He went on to study the piano with Ludwig Berger and theory and composition with Carl Zelter. He produced his first piece in 1820 and subsequently a lar

Mendelssohn found inspiration in art, nature and history for his orchestral music. His two most important symphonies both carry geographical subtitles, the Scottish (No.3) and the Italian (No.4). Each of these works preserve impressions he gained from the sounds and landscapes he experienced when travelling. The Scottish symphony evokes the north, grey and somber, with haunting melodies of bagpipes and the sound of old heroic ballads In contrast, the Italian symphony celebrates the south and on the whole is bright and vibrant. The energy, clarity and tunefulness of the Italian have made it his most popular symphony, although the nostalgic Scottish represents a more modern and contrasting work.

In his best overtures, essentially one-movement symphonic poems, the sea appears as a recurring image, from Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and The Hebrides to The Lovely Melusine. Mendelssohn’s genius for musical landscapes is also evident in these s overtures. Among his incidental music for plays, the overture Ruy Blas (1839) is excelled only by the incomparable Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture. The Piece sets the standard for all subsequent concert overtures of the period and is a brilliant example of self-renewing continual motion, of a heavy orchestra tamed to tiptoe like a chamber ensemble.

Mendelssohn is now considered the 19th century equivalent of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mendelssohn's most vibrant contributions were in the choral and organ music genres, which was probably the result of his deep admiration for Bach and Handel. Mendelssohn will remain the most successful composer of his time, but more importantly, one of the most gifted and talented, certainly deserving a place alongside greats such as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven.

The eight books of forty-eight short pieces Lieder ohne Worte contain many examples of the short piano pieces demonstrating Mendelssohn at his best which are elegantly written and emotional. Mendelssohn was himself a virtuoso pianist and like Beethoven had great interest in the development of the piano These expl

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