Felix Mendelssohn
Romantic Composer With a Classical Flavor
Nov 9, 2006 Sarah Canice Funke
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847), or Felix Mendelssohn, may have lived a short life, but he still left quite a considerable repertoire. Composing in the early half of the 19th century, Mendelssohn's use of more Classical and Baroque forms of music caused a slight rift between him and contemporaries such as Berlioz and Listz, who were experimenting and trying to stretch such forms. Mendelssohn was also a Jewish-Christian, and occasionally experienced discrimination because of his ethnic origins. Indeed, his father added the name Bartholdy (the name of property he had purchased) to the surname Mendelssohn in an effort to downplay the family's Jewish background.
Mendelssohn's diverse interests in philosophy, art, and literature appear in what is perhaps his best-known work, one that has infiltrated all levels of popular culture. The Wedding March comes from the incidental music he wrote for Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Many a Disney princess has exited the chapel to the strains of this march. Mendelssohn had also contemplated writing music for The Tempest, but never completed that project.
A number of Mendelssohn's other works were inspired by visits to Britain. Though Mendelssohn mainly stayed in London, he also visited Edinburgh. Like the novelist Sir Walter Scott, the composer appears to have been captivated by the Scottish landscape and people: from these visits come The Scottish Symphony and Fingal's Cave (also known as The Hebrides Overture).
Besides being fluent in his native German and also Latin, Mendelssohn spoke English. It was in the latter language that he set his oratorio Elijah, a work about the life of the Old Testament prophet by the same name.
His most familiar symphony was also inspired by travels abroad. The Italian Symphony paints a picture of the Italian landscape, full of joy and exuberance. The second movement depicts a procession. The fourth movement incorporates elements of the Saltarello and the Tarantella, both fast-paced dances which suggest vigorous "jumping."
Besides contributing greatly to Western art music himself, Mendelssohn is also responsible for a renewed interest in Bach and Schubert. In 1829, Berlin, he conducted Bach's St. Matthew's Passion, which hadn't been performed since Bach died in 1750. In 1838, thanks to Mendelssohn's efforts, Schubert's Ninth Symphony finally received its premiere, in Leipzig; Schubert had died over ten years earlier. Thanks to Mendelssohn, these composers were not forgotten and still continue to be played and enjoyed today.
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