Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a Romantic era composer and performer from Germany. Born in Hamburg, he was the son of a Jewish philosopher, though his parents later converted the family to Christianity. He and his older sister Fanny both demonstrated remarkable musical prowess from a young age. However, at the time, it was not appropriate for women to pursue careers in music, so Mendelssohn became the sole professional performer in the family. He made his public debut at the age of nine, and during his childhood composed a number of pieces for private concerts.

Mendelssohn’s first published works were the piano quartets, written between 1822-5. His first full symphony was completed in 1824, when the composer was only fifteen. However, it was his 1825 String Octet, 1826 A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and his first two string quartets that catapulted him to recognition on an international stage. Later, he traveled throughout Europe, finding new inspiration for his compositions. His third and fourth symphonies, respectively known as the “Scottish” and “Italian” symphonies, exemplify this. His later works, composed in Leipzig, include his impressive oratorio Paulus and the popular Violin Concerto in E minor. Though some of his works showed the progressive influence of Beethoven and Weber, Mendelssohn was primarily known as a conservative composer. He did not engage in the more experimental music of Berlioz, Liszt, or Wagner, instead preferring to compose expressively, but within the confines of traditional harmonies and structure.

Mendelssohn was also an active conductor. He briefly held a music director position in Düsseldorf and frequently conducted in Britain, among other European cities. Eventually, Mendelssohn accepted a post as the music director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. During his time in Leipzig, Mendelssohn made contributions to nearly every musical institution, and in 1843 established the Leipzig Conservatory, where he taught talented young musicians along with Robert Schumann. Mendelssohn died in 1847 shortly after his sister Fanny’s death. His works remain as popular as ever today.