Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) was a German Romantic composer, pianist, and conductor who helped revive interest in the music of J.S. Bach.
In Depth
Mendelssohn was a child prodigy who composed his Octet for Strings at age 16 and the Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream at 17, both masterpieces. His five symphonies, Violin Concerto in E minor, and oratorios Elijah and St. Paul remain central to the concert repertoire. As conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, he raised performance standards and founded the Leipzig Conservatory. His 1829 performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion sparked the modern Bach revival. Despite his enormous output and influence, he died of a stroke at just 38, possibly triggered by grief over his sister Fanny's death weeks earlier.
Mendelssohn's 1829 revival of Bach's St Matthew Passion — unperformed for nearly a century — single-handedly reignited worldwide interest in Bach's music.