Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy [ n 1 ] 3 February — 4 November , widely known as Felix Mendelssohn , [ n 2 ] was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonies , concertos, piano music, organ music and chamber music. His best-known works include the overture and incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream which includes his " Wedding March " , the Italian and Scottish Symphonies, the oratorios St.
The Herald Angels Sing ". Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words are his most famous solo piano compositions. Mendelssohn's grandfather was the Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn , but Felix was initially raised without religion until he was baptised aged seven into the Reformed Christian church.
He was recognised early as a musical prodigy , but his parents were cautious and did not seek to capitalise on his talent. His sister Fanny Mendelssohn received a similar musical education and was a talented composer and pianist in her own right; some of her early songs were published under her brother's name and her Easter Sonata was for a time mistakenly attributed to him after being lost and rediscovered in the s.
Mendelssohn enjoyed early success in Germany, and revived interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach , notably with his performance of the St Matthew Passion in He became well received in his travels throughout Europe as a composer, conductor and soloist; his ten visits to Britain — during which many of his major works were premiered — form an important part of his adult career.
His essentially conservative musical tastes set him apart from more adventurous musical contemporaries, such as Franz Liszt , Richard Wagner , Charles-Valentin Alkan and Hector Berlioz.
