Jacob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Felix Mendelssohn was born into the banking family of Abraham and Lea Mendelssohn. His grandfather was the renowned philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. In 1811 the family was forced to flee to Berlin to escape persecution by French occupation forces. The cultural life of Berlin and the influence of FelixÕs mother nurtured the prodigious talents of the boy. The family was baptized into the Christian faith in 1816 (the father in 1822) and adopted the name Bartholdy from the name of family property. He debuted as a pianist at age nine and had composed several works by age 12. MendelssohnÕs most popular work, A Midsummer NightÕs Dream, was first performed in 1827. At age 20 he conducted a revival of BachÕs St. Matthew Passion, which stimulated interest once again in the works of the Baroque master.

Mendelssohn traveled widely as a performer and conductor and became acquainted with notable musicians and literary figures, especially Goethe. In 1835 he was named conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra. He married in 1837, and from a happy relationship were born three sons and two daughters. He was instrumental in founding the Leipzig Conservatory in 1840. In addition to his symphonies, overtures, chamber music, concertos, organ and piano works, Mendelssohn is known for two oratorios, St. Paul (1840) and Elijah (1846). [Adapted from the Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992]

Mendelssohn was the largest contributor to the development of the German chorale in the 19th century. His large choral works contain harmonizations for the chorales:

Although represented in American hymnals, tunes by Mendelssohn and other great composers (such as Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven) have not found general acceptance in German hymnals. [From the Sing with Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Hymnody, Second Edition, Revised, Harry Eskew and Hugh McElrath (Nashville: Church Street Press, 1995.]