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Felix Mendelssohn: His Life in Music and Words

August 19, 1:00 PM

A lecture by Ruth Albert Spencer

In addition to being one of 19th century Europe’s outstanding composers, Mendelssohn came from a family of intellectualism, religion, wealth and social position unsurpassed by other musicians. He immortalized this legacy by becoming (along with Mozart) music’s most precocious prodigy. Two of his greatest works, the overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the Octet for Strings were written when he was a teenager. Mendelssohn was the most fully educated of the great composers, having had private tutors and then studying at Berlin University. He was fluent in many languages (including Latin and Greek), knowledgeable in history, law, and physics. Mendelssohn was also an accomplished artist, drawing and painting many of the places he visited in his numerous travels.

He was a music historian, responsible for the revival of Bach’s music and conducted the first performance of the St. Matthew Passion. However, his life was far from perfect. Along with his privileges, he had to reconcile with the dichotomy of his Jewish blood and Christian upbringing. Mendelssohn was a compulsive workaholic, who died at age 38, partially brought on by over-exhaustion.

This presentation will examine his life and work thru music (live and recorded) and his words (from letters and journals).

Peninsula Public Library

For further information about this event, please contact:

Gloria Pomerantz
Phone: (516) 239-3262 x216

http://www.peninsulapublic.org

This lecture is a part of the Speakers in the Humanities program.