Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
1809-1847
Felix Mendelssohn: Life and Music
Felix Mendelssohn was a super talented composer from Germany who started writing amazing music when he was still a kid. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1809. He grew up in a really smart and artistic family, and his parents encouraged him to study all kinds of things. But music was his big passion, and he became famous for it at a really young age.
When he was just 16, he wrote the String Octet, which is still considered one of the best pieces ever written by someone that young. A year later, he composed the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and people couldn’t believe a teenager had created something so magical. From that point on, everyone knew he was a musical genius.
More Than Just a Composer
Mendelssohn wasn’t only good at writing music—he was also a conductor. That means he led orchestras, and he actually changed how concerts worked. In Leipzig, he helped make concerts more professional by making sure the musicians practiced a lot and played virtuosically.
He also did something really important: he brought back the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. At the time, people had kind of forgotten about Bach, but Mendelssohn performed his St. Matthew Passion in 1829 and made Bach popular again. Without Mendelssohn, we might not listen to Bach as much as we do today.
His Most Famous Works
Mendelssohn wrote tons of great music, but here are four of his most famous pieces that people still love today:
Violin Concerto in E Minor (1844) – His most famous piece, emotional and beautiful, is still considered one of the greatest violin concertos ever.
Symphony No. 4 in A Major (Italian Symphony) (1833) – Bright, joyful, and full of energy, inspired by his travels in sunny Italy.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Overture 1826; Incidental Music 1842) – Magical and playful, based on Shakespeare’s play, and it includes the famous Wedding March.
Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave) (1830–1832) – Inspired by Scotland’s wild coast, with wave-like music that makes you imagine the ocean.
A Short Life
Even though Mendelssohn was super successful, his life was really short. His sister Fanny, who was also a composer, died in 1847, and Felix was devastated. A few months later, he had a stroke and passed away at just 38 years old.
Why He’s Still Important
Mendelssohn’s music is a mix of Classical balance and Romantic emotion, which makes it both beautiful and fun to listen to. Even though he didn’t live very long, he wrote music that people still play all over the world. From the joyful Italian Symphony to the moving Violin Concerto, his work continues to inspire musicians and audiences everywhere. -Kenny Zhang.
Works Cited
1. Encyclopaedia Britannica – "Felix Mendelssohn"
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Felix-Mendelssohn
2. Classic FM – "10 of Felix Mendelssohn's Greatest Works"
https://www.classicfm.com/composers/mendelssohn/felix-best-works/
3. Wikipedia – "Felix Mendelssohn"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn
Written by Kenny Zhang