Composer of the Month 2/2009: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy   (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

Germany 12.2.2009 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was born in Hamburg on February 3rd, 1809. His musical talent was promoted by well-known teachers early. 1835 Mendelssohn Bartholdy became the conductor of the Gewandthaus orchestra in Leipzig. His work pulled numerous composers and musicians from all over the world to Leipzig and formed the bases for Leipzig's ascent to a music metropolis. Mendelssohn Bartholdy founded the first German conservatory and did a great service by the re-performance of the works by Johann Sebastian Bach. As a composer he created numerous immortal music works like the violin concertos, his five symphonies, the oratorios Paulus and Elias as well as the play music for Shakespear's "Midsummer Night's Dream" with the famous wedding march. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy died in Leipzig on November 4th, 1847. His birthday comes up again for the 200th time in February 2009. The video shows the famous violinist Anne Akiko Meyers with a part from Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto E Minor. More composers in our "members only" section.