Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy br **Born:** February 3, 1809, Hamburg, Germany br **Died:** November 4, 1847, Leipzig, Germany (aged 38) br **Era:** Early Romantic Periodbr br **Key Details:**br br 1. **Family & Background:**br * Grandson of renowned Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn.br * Born into a wealthy, cultured, and converted Protestant family (added "Bartholdy" to surname after baptism).br * Sister Fanny Mendelssohn was also a highly talented composer and pianist.br br 2. **Child Prodigy:**br * Displayed extraordinary musical talent from a very early age.br * Began piano lessons with his mother at 6, composition with Carl Friedrich Zelter soon after.br * Gave his first public concert at age 9.br * Composed prolifically as a childteenager, including symphonies, concertos, operas, and chamber music.br br 3. **Education & Influences:**br * Received a broad humanist education (languages, literature, art, philosophy).br * Deeply influenced by J.S. Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Beethoven.br * Met Goethe several times as a boy, greatly impressing the poet.br br 4. **Major Contributions:**br * **Revival of Bach:** His 1829 Berlin performance of Bach's *St. Matthew Passion* (at age 20) sparked a major revival of interest in Bach's music.br * **Conductor & Performer:** A pioneering and influential conductor, raising performance standards. Also a renowned pianist and organist.br * **Composer:** Prolific across genres:br * **Orchestral:** 5 Symphonies (No. 3 "Scottish", No. 4 "Italian", No. 5 "Reformation"), *Hebrides Overture* ("Fingal's Cave"), *A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture* (written at 17).br * **Concertos:** Violin Concerto in E minor (one of the most popular ever), Piano Concertos.br * **Chamber Music:** String Quartets (Op. 44, Op. 80), Octet for Strings (written at 16), Piano Trios (No. 1 in D minor).br * **Choral:** Oratorios *St. Paul* and *Elijah*, numerous sacred works (motets, psalms).br * **Piano:** *Songs Without Words* (8 sets), Variations sérieuses.br * **Incidental Music:** *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (including the famous "Wedding March").br * **Educator:** Played a key role in founding the Leipzig Conservatory (1843), one of Germany's first.br br 5. **Style:**br * Blended Classical forms (learned from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven) with Romantic lyricism, expressiveness, and programmatic elements.br * Known for clarity, elegance, formal balance, brilliant orchestration, and memorable melodies.br * Often evokes nature, landscapes, and literary sources.br br 6. **Significant Roles:**br * Music Director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig (1835-1847), transforming it into one of Europe's finest.br * Held positions in Düsseldorf and Berlin.