Mendelssohn Cambridge Library Collection - Music Series

The composer, virtuoso pianist and conductor Felix Mendelssohn (1809?47) was lionised by the music-loving public during his lifetime, and his music is still greatly admired today. A versatile child prodigy, he wrote music for A Midsummer Night's Dream while he was still a teenager. Masterpieces such as the octet for strings, the 'Italian' symphony, the violin concerto and his great oratorio Elijah followed. His extraordinary ability was such that he was made an honorary member of the Philharmonic Society in 1829 at the age of only twenty during the first of his ten visits to Britain. A great advocate of Johann Sebastian Bach, Mendelssohn did much to reawaken interest in his music. This eminently readable short biography by the composer William Smith Rockstro (1823?95) was first published in 1884 as part of Francis Hueffer's 'Great Musicians' series. A list of Mendelssohn's works is included as an appendix.

1. The founder of the family; 2. The removal to Berlin; 3. Felix's childhood; 4. Early efforts; 5. The garden house; 6. The first visit to England; 7. The journey to Italy; 8. At Düsseldorf; 9. At the Gewandhaus; 10. The wedding; 11. In London and Leipzig; 12. Difficulties at Berlin; 13. At Buckingham Palace; 14. Concerning the Conservatorium; 15. The Philharmonic concerts; 16. Personal reminiscences; 17. Concerning the management of the Conservatorium; 18. The last season at the Gewandhaus; 19. Elijah; 20. The end; 21. Mendelssohn's position in art; Complete catalogue of Mendelssohn's works.