Felix Mendelssohn

Donald Macleod journeys through the life of Felix Mendelssohn.


Mendelssohn was a leading figure of German music in his day, and
became something of an international celebrity. He was at the
very forefront of music making during the 1830s and 1840s, as a
composer, conductor, pianist and organist. He began as a highly
gifted and versatile prodigy, and rose to become one of Germany’s
first rank composers of the early romantic period. He composed
music in many genres including concertos, oratorios, symphonies,
songs and chamber music. Amongst some of his most famous works
are the highly evocative and dramatic overture to A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, and his mature and richly romantic Violin
Concerto.


In Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod journeys through the life
of Felix Mendelssohn, exploring in particular a number of
influences upon the composer’s works: Mozart, his travels in
Italy, Bach, his visits to London, and his wife and muse, Cecile.


Music featured: Die beiden Padagogen Duo Sonata in G minor Piano
Quartet No 2 in F minor, Op 2 (Allegro molto vivace) Piano
Concerto in A minor Lieder ohne Worte, Op 19B No 6
(Venetianisches Gondellied) Psalm 115 Non nobis Domine, Op 31
Nachspiel in D major Symphony No 4 in A major, Op 90 (Italian)
String Symphony No 5 in B flat major (Allegro vivace) Prelude and
Fugue No 1 in E minor, Op 35 Paulus, Op 36 (Rise! Up! Arise!)
Organ Sonata in C minor, No 2 Op 65 Elijah, Op 70 (It is enough)
Sechs Lieder ohne Worte, Book 1 Op 19b (Moderato) Daniel
Barenboim, piano A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Overture) Rondo
Brillant, Op 29 Erntelied, Op 8 No 4 Pilgerspruch, Op 8 No 5
Elijah, Op 70 (For the mountains shall depart) Sechs Lieder ohne
Worte Op 38 No 6 (Duetto: Andante) Ich wollt’ meine Lieb’ ergosse
sich, Op 63 No 1 Herbstlied, Op 63 No 4 Prelude and Fugue in C
minor, Op 37 No 1 Concerto in E minor for violin and orchestra,
Op 64 String Quartet in E minor, Op 44 No 2 (Presto agitato)


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC
Wales


For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Felix Mendelssohn:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001xj5


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z