Figure 1.--

Felix Mendelssohn is considered by many to be the most successful musician of the 19th Century. Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany on February 3, 1809. Both he and his sister Fanny were child prodigies. They were from a well-to-do Jewish family. Their father was a succesful banker and his father was the famous Jewish philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn. The family in 1809 moved to Berlin and in 1816 converted to Christianity. It was at this time that Felix was baptized a Lutheran. The additional surname Bartholdy adopted on his conversion to Christianity. His elder sister Fanny (Hensel, 1805-47) also became a successful pianist and composer in her own right. Mendelssohn grew up in Berlin, able to associate with a cultured circle of family friends. He had excellent teachers (notably Zelter in Berlin). He traveled and performed extensively as a child. Probably because his parents wanted to keep as a "child prodigy" he was dressed like a little boy until he was 13 or so. Pictures of him at 12 and 13 show him with the very long curls common for very little boys in 1820 and also wearing the high waisted little suits worn by little boys at the time. It's somewhat funny to compare these little boy pictures with the ones taken later in life where the beautiful curls are replaced by a bald spot on top of his head. An extraordinarily gifted composer, Mendelssohn grew up under ideal conditions. His talent was apparent at an early age and his parents encouraged him. He began his studies at an early age and studied with the best of teachers. By the age of 8 years he had committed all of Betoven's symphonies to memory. He made his first publi\c appearance as a pianist at age 9. On his 12th birthday hios parents gave him as a present a string orcestra, which he made good use of by composing numerous pieces for them tp preform. He became proficient not only in the field of music--as pianist, organist, conductor and composer--but also in linguistics and painting, as well. He travelled widely, visiting much of Europe and eventually developing a rapport with England and Scotland that took him there on ten different occasions. Felix toured extensively as pianist and conductor, especially in England, where he was Queen Victoria and the Prince Albert's favourite. Besides this, he is well known for his revival in the interest of J. S. Bach, whose music fell into disuse after that Baroque composer's death. Mendelssohn gave the first performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in 1829, the first since Bach's death in 1750. Bach's influence on Mendelssohn's compositions can be seen in his own oratorios, St. Paul, 1836 and Elijah, 1846. It is from these works from which we derive the Mendelssohn chorale harmonizations in many modern hymnals. Mendelssohn is also noted for developing the first modern symphony orchestras, the Leipzig Gewandhuas Orchestra, as well as founding the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843.

Parents

Felix was from a well-to-do Jewish family. His father was a Hamburg banker.Their father was a succesful banker and his father was the famous Jewish philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn.

Sister

His elder sister Fanny (Hensel, 1805-47) also became a successful pianist and composer in her own right.

Childhood

Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany on February 3, 1809. He led a privlidged life in a prosperous family. Felix grew up in Berlin, able to associate with a cultured circle of family friends.

Prodigy

A reader writes, "Mendelssohn was a German patriot in the true. He loved England and the British adored him. Felix was a child prodigy, a real wunderkind, that started to play and compose music (like Mozart) when he was 6 years old." Both he and his sister Fanny were child prodigies. He had excellent teachers (notably Zelter in Berlin). He traveled and performed extensively as a child. His talent was apparent at an early age and his parents encouraged him. He began his studies at an early age and studied with the best of teachers. By the age of 8 years he had committed all of Betoven's symphonies to memory. He made his first public appearance as a pianist at age 9. On his 12th birthday hios parents gave him as a present a string orcestra, which he made good use of by composing numerous pieces for them tp preform. He became proficient not only in the field of music--as pianist, organist, conductor and composer--but also in linguistics and painting, as well. He travelled widely, visiting much of Europe and eventually developing a rapport with England and Scotland that took him there on ten different occasions.

Conversion

The family in 1809 moved to Berlin and in 1816 at about age 7 converted to Christianity. It was at this time that Felix was baptized a Lutheran. I'm not sure precisely whu his father decided to take this step. It must have made Felix a more marketable chi;d prodigy. The additional surname Bartholdy adopted on his conversion to Christianity,

Clothing

Probably because his parents wanted to keep as a "child prodigy" he was dressed like a little boy until he was 13 or so. Pictures of him at 12 and 13 show him with the very long curls common for very little boys in 1820 and also wearing the high waisted skeleton suits worn by little boys at the time. It's somewhat funny to compare these little boy pictures with the ones taken later in life where the beautiful curls are replaced by a bald spot on top of his head.

Career

Felix Mendelssohn is considered by many to be the most successful musician of the 19th Century. An extraordinarily gifted composer, Mendelssohn grew up under ideal conditions. Felix toured extensively as pianist and conductor, especially in England, where he was Queen Victoria and the Prince Albert's favourite. Besides this, he is well known for his revival in the interest of J. S. Bach, whose music fell into disuse after that Baroque composer's death. Mendelssohn gave the first performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in 1829, the first since Bach's death in 1750. Bach's influence on Mendelssohn's compositions can be seen in his own oratorios, St. Paul, 1836 andElijah, 1846. It is from these works from which we derive the Mendelssohn chorale harmonizations in many modern hymnals. Mendelssohn is also noted for developing the first modern symphony orchestras, the Leipzig Gewandhuas Orchestra, as well as founding the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843.

The NAZIs

The NAZIs sought to wipe out every aspect of Germany's Jewish heritage. For the NAZIs this was a racial and not a relogious issue. Thus it made no difference that Mendelssohn had converted to Christianity. It was his Jewish blood that mattered. Thus after the NAZIs seized power (1933), like that of the other Jewish composers, his music could no longer be playd in public. The NAZIs even demolished the famous statue in his honor that was located in Leipzig.

Sources

Kupferberg, Herbert. Felix Mendelssohn: His Life His Family His Music.

Created: 9:04 PM 1/24/2005
Last updated: 4:38 AM 1/25/2005