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People In Music History
Mendelssohn [Bartholdy], [Jakob Ludwig] Felix (1809-1847) German composer, a
grandson of the Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, but was brought up as a
Lutheran. Noted pianist and organist; also conductor, head of Leipzig
Conservatory (1843), and amateur painter. Born in Hamburg; boy prodigy,
composing the overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream at 17 (the other music to
it later). Visited Scotland, 1829 (see Scotch Symphony, Hebrides) and afterward
revisited Britain nine times, conducting the first performance of Elijah in
1846. Other works include operetta Son and Stranger; oratorio St. Paul; 5
symphonies (no. 2 Hymn of Praise, no. 3 Scotch, no. 4 Italian, no. 5
Reformation); Ruy Blas and other overtures; 2 piano concertos; violin concerto
in E minor (a youthful concerto in D minor, left in manuscript, was
resuscitated by Menuhin); string octet (scherzo later scored for orchestra) and
other chamber music; Songs Without Words and other piano solos; organ works,
songs. Combined Romantic ardor with a classical decorousness of form, but did
not fulfill all his early promise, and in the 20th century underwent a severe
decline in popularity.