Felix Mendelsohn - German composer,who wrote the famous "Wedding March". He is a talented pianist, teacher, conductor and educator. His work and activities contributed to the development of musical life, not only in Germany, where he lived, but throughout the world. He helped the emergence of new talents and their professional growth.
A family
The famous composer Mendelssohn was born thirdFebruary 1809 in Hamburg. Descended from a Jewish family with ancient cultural traditions. Grandpa Mendelssohn was a famous philosopher, a German enlightener. Felix's father was the head of the banking house and was a very fine connoisseur of art.
Mendelssohn had a sister, Fanny, whom he dearly loved. His father died in 1835, and Felix experienced this first blow of fate very hard.
Felix Mendelssohn. Biography: childhood
Felix's mother in his early childhood son drewattention to his amazing ability to music. She became his first teacher. When her knowledge of Felix ceased to be enough, she took him to study further to Ludwig Berger, the famous composer and pianist.
Biography of Mendelssohn contains information that alreadyat the age of 7 he was making huge strides, and at 10 he fascinated those present with his playing at a private concert. At the same time, he learned to play the viola, which later became one of his favorite instruments.
Education Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn was given an excellent education.He studied painting, mathematics, literature, knew many languages. Traveled a lot. At age 11, Mendelssohn entered the Berlin Academy of Singing. Its leader was Karl Friedrich, who taught Felix.
The beginning of the creative path of Mendelssohn
Музыкальный талант Феликса развивался swiftly. Already in 1822, Mendelssohn started talking about the work as a new musical miracle. In 1824, Mendelssohn wrote The First Symphony and several other pieces of music. A year later, the String Octet was added to this list. Mendelssohn’s world fame was brought by his overture to “Midsummer Night's Dream”. This work included the initial sketches of the famous "Wedding March".
Conductor Mendelssohn was also very early.Already at the age of 20, under his direction, the orchestra performed Bach's work “Passion for Matvey”. The singing academy was so fascinated by it that henceforth it began to include its compositions in its repertoire annually.
Career
In 1833, Mendelssohn’s biography was replenishedactive creative activity. He became music director in Düsseldorf. The basis of his conductor's repertoire became Handel's oratorio. He worked for only two years. Then he went to Leipzig. There he became the head of Gevandhaus.
In 1843 he founded the Leipzig Conservatory,at the same time becoming its leader. Now it was renamed the Academy of Music. Mendelssohn. Felix also created a music school in Leipzig, which differed from the rest by its orientation to the classics.
Creativity Felix Mendelssohn
In 1829-1833, Mendelssohn traveled around Europe. He visited many countries and cities. Impressions of what he saw gave him new musical images, which he implemented.
The most significant works of MendelssohnLeipzig period: "Ruy Blas", "Scottish Symphony", Violin Concerto in E Minor, 2 piano trios. To “Midsummer Night's Sleep,” he wrote music based on his first overture created for this work. The order came from the king of Prussia himself.
Mendelssohn participated in the organization of the Birminghamand Lower Rivers music festivals. He was very much loved in England, and he went there 10 times. He conducted the orchestra in London and Birmingham, performing the "Elijah" oratorio.
Mendelssohn the Romantic
Mendelssohn was fond of classicism and ideals.XVIII century more than other composers. His music is balanced and slim, restrained and graceful. By the middle of 1820 he developed his own style, drawing inspiration from literature, the surrounding nature, art and history.
That is what made him more romantic than others. Among his romances and secular choirs there are true pearls. For example, the romance "On the Wings of a Song," written in the words Heine.
Mendelssohn Instrumentalist
As his instrumental composerThe creative journey began with symphonies for string orchestra stylized as Viennese classicism. Among these works stand out "Scottish" and "Italian." The first symphony is larger and rich in contrasts.
The skill of Mendelssohn is vividly expressed in a simple and at the same time refined work “A Song without Words”. This is a series of piano pieces. They look like the lyric diary of Felix.
The personal life of Mendelssohn
Back in his youth, Mendelssohn met a girl bynamed Cecile Jeanreno. She was from a rich Huguenot family. Soon they became engaged. Cecile was a very beautiful girl with good manners and a calm character. Their marriage was happy and strong. Cecile gave birth to Felix five children. This inspired Mendelssohn for a whole series of new works.
Marsh of Mendelssohn: history of creation and popularity
The creation of Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was notthe usual writing of the next work. He has a separate story. She starts with an overture for Midsummer Night's Dream. When did Mendelssohn's Wedding March first sound? After the overture was written music for the production of Shakespeare's play. It was then, in 1843, the “Wedding March” was performed for the first time. But he gained popularity gradually. The play is not widely known.
When did the Wedding March sound the first time?Mendelssohn at the wedding? The first to choose this piece for musical accompaniment of their marriage is a couple from the city of Tiverton, Tom Daniel and Dorothy Kerry. The wedding took place in 1847. But the march did not gain wide popularity after that. Only 50 years after the marriage of Tom and Dorothy, he finally became the famous work of Mendelssohn, which remains so to this day.
Biography of Mendelssohn contains a separate storythe growth of its popularity due to the "Wedding March". This fame brought him the marriage of royalty. The wedding of the Princess of Britain Victoria Adelaide with the crown prince of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm was to take place in London. For the wedding, it was necessary to choose the right solemn moment of music.
Victoria Adelaide was her connoisseur.And to choose music for the wedding did not allow anyone. She dealt with this issue personally. After listening to many works by various composers, the princess stopped at the Wagner opera Lohengrin and The Wedding March by Mendelssohn.
First Victoria Adelaide chose for the momentwhen she will be led to the altar. And Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” sounded after the marriage, while leaving the church. The wedding took place on the twenty-fifth of January 1858. It was from that day that the “Wedding March” was remembered by everyone and became forever in vogue as an obligatory wedding music at marriage.
Last year of life
Mendelssohn's biography ends lastyear of his life. In 1847, Mendelssohn’s health deteriorated dramatically. At that moment he was in London. His doctor advised Felix to stop performing activities. At the same time, his beloved sister Fanny, who was only 4 years older, died. He devoted her memory to the piercingly tragic work - the string quartet f-moll.
His sister’s death was a heavy blow to him.And he could not recover from it. Sister meant so much to him that with her departure he was out of vitality. For five months after her death, he tried to fight with increasing despair and fatigue, but to no avail.
A few days before his death, he was insemi-conscious. All questions could only answer "no" or "yes." Felix Mendelssohn died in Leipzig on November 4, 1847 from a stroke. At that time he was only 38 years old.
