Mendelssohn(-Bartholdy), (Jacob Ludwig) Felix

- R. Larry Todd
Extract
(b Hamburg, Feb 3, 1809; d Leipzig, Nov 4, 1847). German composer. One of the most gifted and versatile prodigies, Mendelssohn stood at the forefront of German music during the 1830s and 40s, as conductor, pianist, organist and, above all, composer. His musical style, fully developed before he was 20, drew upon a variety of influences, including the complex chromatic counterpoint of Bach, the formal clarity and gracefulness of Mozart and the dramatic power of Beethoven and Weber....