Who is Felix Mendelssohn?

Felix Mendelssohn is German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of Jewish descent.

How did Felix Mendelssohn die?

Felix Mendelssohn passed away in 1847 (stroke).

Felix Mendelssohn

Q: What is Felix Mendelssohn known for?

Felix Mendelssohn is primarily known as a(n) writer, conductor, painter, pianist, organist, composer, musicologist, music educator, university teacher, musician.

German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of Jewish descent

Born:February 3, 1809

Died:November 4, 1847

Age at death:38

Manner of death:Natural Causes

Cause of death:Stroke

Zodiac Sign:Aquarius

Children:5

Born in:Hamburg, Germany

Buried in:Germany

Languages:English, French, German

Writer Conductor Painter Pianist Organist Composer Musicologist Music Educator University Teacher Musician

Signature

Links

Wikipedia Official Website IMDb

Famous For

Notable Work

Violin Concerto in E minorSymphony No. 4Symphony No. 3The HebridesA Midsummer Night's Dream

Books

Symphony No. 4Symphony No. 3Octet for Strings in E-flat Major, Op. 20String Octet in E Flat MajorHymn of Praise

Awards

honorary citizen of Leipzig (1843)Pour le MéritePour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order

Felix Mendelssohn

German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of Jewish descent

Biography

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 1809 – 4 November 1847), simply known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic era. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonies, concertos, piano music, organ music and chamber music. His best-known works include the String Octet, the overture and incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream (which includes his "Wedding March"), the Italian and Scottish Symphonies, the oratorios St. Paul and Elijah, the Hebrides Overture, the mature Violin Concerto, and the melody used in the Christmas carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words are his most famous solo piano compositions. Mendelssohn's grandfather was the Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, but Felix was initially raised without religion until he was baptised aged seven into the Reformed Christian church. He was recognised early as a musical prodigy, but his parents were cautious and did not seek to capitalise on his talent. His sister Fanny received a similar musical education and was a talented composer and pianist in her own right; some of her early songs were published under her brother's name and her Easter Sonata was for a time mistakenly attributed to him after being lost and rediscovered in the 1970s. Mendelssohn enjoyed early success in Germany, and revived interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, notably with his performance of the St Matthew Passion in 1829. He became well received in his travels throughout Europe as a composer, conductor and soloist; his ten visits to Britain – during which many of his major works were premiered – form an important part of his adult career. His essentially conservative musical tastes set him apart from more adventurous musical contemporaries, such as Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Charles-Valentin Alkan and Hector Berlioz. The Leipzig Conservatory, which he founded, became a bastion of this anti-radical outlook. After a long period of relative denigration due to changing musical tastes and antisemitism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, his creative originality has been re-evaluated. He is now among the most popular composers of the Romantic era.

This biography uses content from the Wikipedia article “Felix Mendelssohn”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Quotes

“A prophet such as we could use again today, strong, zealous, angry and gloomy in opposition to the leaders, the masses, indeed the whole world. (Letter to his pastor Julius Schubring, 1846, regarding Mendelssohn's choral work 'Elijah' published that year)”

“I dislike many-sidedness, which, moreover, I rather think I do not much believe in. Anything that aspires to be distinguished, or beautiful, or really great, must be one-sided.”

— Letter to his parents, June 6, 1831, cited from Reisebriefe von Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Aus den Jahren 1830 bis 1832 (Leipzig: Hermann Mendelssohn, 1862) p. 157; translation from Lady Wallace (trans.) Letters from Italy and Switzerland (Philadelphia: Frederick Leypoldt, 1863)

“And do you agree with me, that the first condition of an artist should be to bear respect towards what is great, and to bow to it and acknowledge it, and not attempt to extinguish great flames for the sake of making his own rushlight burn more brightly?”

— Letter to Wilhelm Taubert, August 27, 1831, cited from Reisebriefe von Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Aus den Jahren 1830 bis 1832 (Leipzig: Hermann Mendelssohn, 1862) p. 256; translation from Emil Naumann (trans. F. Praeger) The History of Music (London: Cassell, 1886) vol. 2, p. 1052-53.

Quotes sourced from the Wikiquote article "Felix Mendelssohn", available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Photos

Ölporträt Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys, gemalt 1846 von Eduard Magnus (1799—1872)

Felix Mendelssohn

Sujet : Fleurs Décoration et ornement -- 1870-1913 Référence bibliographique : Leroy-Crèvecoeur, 80 Appartient à l’ensemble documentaire : FranceJp0 Couverture Langue : français Éditeur : Enoch et Co (Paris)

Identificatie Titel(s): Fotoreproductie van een geschilderd portret van Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy door Carl Jaeger Objecttype: foto kabinetfoto reproductie albumblad Objectnummer: RP-F-F00667-H Opschriften / Merken: naam, recto, gedrukt: ‘Jäger pinx. Déposé Registered/ Fr. Bruckmann pho[...]’, annotatie, recto, handgeschreven: ‘F. Mendelssohn - Bartholdy/ 1809 - 1847’ Omschrijving: Deze foto maakt deel uit van een album. Vervaardiging Vervaardiger: fotograaf: Friedrich Bruckmann (vermeld op object), naar schilderij van: Carl Jaeger (vermeld op object) Datering: 1870 - 1890 Materiaal en Techniek Fysieke kenmerken: albuminedruk Materiaal: karton fotodrager Techniek: albuminedruk Afmetingen: passe-partout: hoogte 134 mm × breedte 96 mm Onderwerp Wat: portrait of composer, historical persons, picture, painting Wie: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Verwerving en rechten: Verwerving: overdracht van beheer 1994 Copyright: Publiek domein

Auteur(s): Anonyme, photographe Date de production: Entre 1860 et 1890 Datation en siècle: 2e moitié du 19e siècle Type(s) d'objet(s): Photographie, Arts graphiques Dénomination(s): Photographie Matériaux et techniques: Tirage sur papier albuminé Dimensions - Oeuvre: Hauteur : 8.8 cm Largeur : 5.4 cm Dimensions - Montage ancien: Hauteur : 10.3 cm Largeur : 6.3 cm Description: Portrait carte de visite. Reproduction d'un dessin contrecollée sur carton. Marques, inscriptions, poinçons: Inscription - Inscription au verso Description iconographique: Portrait de Félix Mendelsohn Bartholdy (1809-1847), compositeur allemand. Institution: Musée Carnavalet, Histoire de Paris Numéro d’inventaire: PH20459 IIIF Manifest: https://apicollections.parismusees.paris.fr/iiif/320139307/manifest

Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Bartholdy Felix Mendelssohn (Duitsland), componist 1809-1847 Datum : 30 oktober 1969 Locatie : Duitsland Trefwoorden : componisten Persoonsnaam : Bartholdy Felix Mendelssohn Fotograaf : Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende : Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort : Negatief (zwart/wit) Nummer archiefinventaris : bekijk toegang 2.24.01.04 Bestanddeelnummer : 922-9220

Abbildung Berliner Grabdenkmäler von Prominenten

Part of a collection containing historical records created by, or relating to, world-renowned individuals and historical personages, as well as individuals from the United States, Ohio, or Cleveland. It includes correspondence, documents, signatures, and notes.

Letter in German from Felix Mendelssohn to Jean-Joseph Bonaventure Laurens, March 15, 1843, Leipzig

Memorial plaque of the "Hummel-Bummel" walking tour in Hamburg's Neustadt district, here: Michaelisstraße 14 - birthplace of Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn.