Felix Mendelssohn is one of the most vivid composers of early Romanticism, as well as a brilliant pianist, conductor, and organiser of musical life. A prodigy who matured very early, he combined Romantic poetry with classical clarity and perfection of form.
Mendelssohn performed a historic feat: in 1829 he conducted J.S. Bach's “St. Matthew Passion,” thereby reviving the then-forgotten music of the great master and beginning its worldwide renaissance. Among his own masterpieces are the Violin Concerto in E minor (one of the most beloved in the repertoire), the “Italian” and “Scottish” symphonies, the music to “A Midsummer Night's Dream” (from which comes the world-famous “Wedding March”), and the overture “The Hebrides.” Mendelssohn's music is bright, elegant, filled with joy and nobility.
