Felix Mendelssohn

Full Name: Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Profession: Composer and Pianist

Nationality:

Biography: Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the early Romantic period. He is best known for his orchestral works, including the Hebrides Overture and the Scottish and Italian symphonies, as well as his chamber music and songs.

Mendelssohn also composed the famous Wedding March from his suite of incidental music for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which has become a standard piece at Western weddings. His Songs Without Words are his most famous solo piano compositions.

Mendelssohn came from a prominent Jewish family but was raised without religion and later converted to Christianity. His early talent was nurtured by his family, and he quickly gained recognition, mingling with influential writers and artists of the time. However, his Jewish heritage led to instances of anti-Semitic prejudice, which slightly tarnished his reputation during his lifetime and posthumously during the Nazi era, when his music was banned in Germany.

Despite this Mendelssohn's contributions to music were immense, including his role in reviving interest in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. His compositions were characterized by a mixture of creativity and conservatism, at least compared to contemporaries such as Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, and are still performed today.

Born: February 3, 1809
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Star Sign: Aquarius

Died: November 4, 1847 (aged 38)
Cause of Death: Stroke