Felix Mendelssohn is a 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 on February 3, 1809 in Hamburg. He came from a Jewish family with ancient cultural traditions. Mendelssohn’s grandfather was a famous philosopher, a German educator. Felix's father was the head of the banking house and was a very subtle connoisseur of art.
Mendelssohn had a sister, Fanny, whom he dearly loved. His father died in 1835, and Felix very hard survived this first blow of fate.
Felix Mendelssohn. Biography: childhood
Felix's mother, in her early childhood, drew attention to his amazing ability to music. She became his first teacher. When Felix no longer had her knowledge, she took him to study further with Ludwig Berger, the famous composer and pianist.
Mendelssohn's biography contains information that already at 7 he made great strides, and at 10 he charmed those present with his play at a private concert. At the same time, he studied playing the viola, which later became one of his favorite instruments.
Mendelssohn Education
Mendelssohn was given an excellent education. He studied painting, mathematics, literature, knew many languages. He traveled a lot. At the age of 11, Mendelssohn went to study at the Berlin Singing Academy. Its leader was Karl Friedrich, who taught Felix.
The beginning of Mendelssohn’s career
Felix's musical talent developed rapidly. Already in 1822, they began talking about the work of Mendelssohn 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 gained worldwide fame with his overture to Midsummer Night's Dream. This work included the initial sketches of the famous "Wedding March".
Mendelssohn also became a conductor very early. Already at the age of 20, under his direction, the orchestra performed Bach's work “Passion for Matthew”. The Singing Academy was so fascinated by him that henceforth it began to include his works in its repertoire annually.
Career
In 1833, Mendelssohn's biography was replenished with his active creative activity. He became the music director in Dusseldorf. Handel’s oratorios became the basis of his conducting repertoire. He worked only two years. Then he went to Leipzig. There he became the leader of Gewandhaus.
In 1843 he founded the Leipzig Conservatory, at the same time becoming its leader. Now she was renamed the Music Academy. Mendelssohn. Felix also created a music school in Leipzig, which differed from the rest in its orientation to the classics.
Creativity of Felix Mendelssohn
In the years 1829-1833, Mendelssohn traveled to Europe. He visited many countries and cities. Impressions from what he saw gave him new musical images, which he put into practice.
The most significant works of Mendelssohn of the Leipzig period: “Ruy Blas”, “Scottish Symphony”, Violin concert in E minor, 2 piano trios. To "A Midsummer Night's Dream, " he wrote music based on his first overture created for this piece. The order came from the king of Prussia himself.
Mendelssohn participated in the organization of Birmingham and Lower Rhine Music Festivals. He was very much loved in England, and he went there 10 times. Conducted by the orchestra in London and Birmingham, performing the Elijah oratorio.
Mendelssohn Romantic
Mendelssohn was fond of classicism and the ideals of the eighteenth century more than other composers. His music is characterized by poise and harmony, restraint and grace. By the middle of 1820 he developed his style, drawing inspiration from literature, the environment, art and history.
That is what made him a romantic to a greater extent 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 of Heine.
Mendelssohn instrumentalist
As a composer-instrumentalist, his career began with symphonies for a string orchestra, stylized as Viennese classicism. Among these works stand out "Scottish" and "Italian". The first symphony is larger and rich in contrasts.
Mendelssohn’s mastery is clearly expressed in the simple and at the same time exquisite piece, “Song Without Words.” This is a series of piano pieces. They look like Felix's lyric diary.
Mendelssohn's personal life
Even in his youth, Mendelssohn met a girl named Cecile Genreno. She was from a wealthy Huguenot family. Soon they got 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.
Mendelssohn March: the story of creation and popularity
The creation of Mendelssohn's “Wedding March” was not the usual writing of another work. He has a separate story. She starts with an overture for Midsummer Night's Dream. When was Mendelssohn's “Wedding March” first played? After the overture, music was written for the production of Shakespeare's play. It was then, in 1843, "Wedding March" was first heard. But he gained popularity gradually. The play is not widely known.
When was Mendelssohn's “Wedding March” first heard at the wedding? The first to choose this piece for the musical accompaniment of their marriage was a couple from the city of Tiverton, Tom Daniel and Dorothy Carrie. The wedding took place in 1847. But the march even after that did not gain wide popularity. Only 50 years after the marriage of Tom and Dorothy, he finally became the famous work of Mendelssohn, which remains so to this day.
Mendelssohn’s biography contains a separate story of his popularity growth thanks to the “Wedding March”. This fame brought him the marriage of royalty. In London, the wedding of the Princess of Britain Victoria Adelaide was to take place with the Crown Prince of Prussia Frederick William. For the wedding it was necessary to choose the music appropriate for the solemn moment.
Victoria Adelaide was her subtle connoisseur. And nobody allowed to choose musical accompaniment for the wedding. She dealt with this issue personally. After listening to many works by various composers, the princess stopped at Wagner’s opera “Lohengrin” and “Mendelssohn's Wedding March”.
The first Victoria Adelaide chose for the moment when she will be led to the altar. And Mendelssohn's “Wedding March” was sounded after the wedding was completed, when he left the church. The wedding took place on January 25, 1858. From that day on, the “Wedding March” was remembered by everyone and forever became fashionable as an obligatory wedding music for weddings.
