About Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) ranks among the most pre-eminent, universally gifted and versatile musicians of the nineteenth century, combining the roles of composer, conductor and instrumental soloist in one person. He came from a distinguished family. His grandfather was the philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn, and his father, Abraham, a successful banker. The latter once observed, "First I was the son of my father, and now I am the father of my son." He had his children baptized as Christians in 1816, including his son, Felix, who was born in 1809. Felix thus became an intermediary between religions who composed his works for three religious traditions. This fact, and, above all, his cosmopolitanism make him a European par excellence.
Felix's musical talent was encouraged and shaped from an early age. He made his first public appearance as a pianist at the age of nine. Soon thereafter, he began to write his own compositions, displaying remarkable talent. At the age of 20, he conducted a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Berlin Singakademie, thus taking an important step in reviving the music of Leipzig's St. Thomas cantor, which had been virtually forgotten. In 1835 he was offered the directorship of the Gewandhaus concerts – at the age of only 26, younger than any of his predecessors or successors when they assumed the position. He institutionalized the tradition of the symphony orchestra conductor and established the concept of the conductor as interpreter, thus revolutionalizing the performance practice of his day.
By the time of his death at the age of only 38, he had composed an oeuvre of over 400 works. Felix Mendelssohn is well-known for his voluminous and significant output in the genres of the symphony, choral works and chamber music. Many of these works were composed during his frequent travels throughout Germany and other European countries, such as the British Isles, France, Italy and Switzerland. His sacred music, particularly the magnificent oratorios St. Paul and Elijah, reflects the three confessions. Mendelssohn thus has considerable social relevance even today as an intermediary between religions. Nowadays, Felix Mendelssohn is generally regarded as one of the most important artistic figures in Europe during the nineteenth century. His first permanent professional position was that of Municipal Music Director in Düsseldorf, after which he was appointed Gewandhaus Music Director in Leipzig. Until his death, this post remained the basis of his close association with the City of Music, where he also founded the first German conservatory. The Mendelssohn renaissance began in Leipzig with Kurt Masur, first with the outstanding interpretations of the early symphonies which Masur recorded with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1972. They were soon followed by further recordings of Mendelssohn's major works, confirming his reputation as a composer of international standing. Today Leipzig is the centre of Mendelssohn research; the city houses the Leipzig edition of Felix Mendelssohn's works (Saxon Academy of Arts and Sciences) and Mendelssohn's collected letters (University of Leipzig and German Research Foundation).