Mendelssohn, who was taught piano by his mother, soon outgrew his mother’s talents and was sent to Paris by his father to study music. It was here that he achieved his first taste of musical success at the age of seventeen, with the overture to William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opus 21 (1826). And although nothing composed by Mendelssohn would ever trump this success, he still holds a very coveted place in music history. By 1829, Mendelssohn was sent to London, a place he adored for the rest of his life. Travels took him through parts of Western Europe until he fell in love with Cécile Jeanrenaud, the daughter of a clergyman. They were married in 1837, and had 5 children.

Mendelssohn could not make up his mind about finding a place to live. He was dissatisfied with every place he went; he despised Berlin, although made many attempts to change his own mind. Finally, after many moves within Germany, he settled in Leipzig, and was the brainchild behind the construction of the Leipzig Conservatorium. At the time of this success, Mendelssohn also saw his choral work Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (1840) receive wide acclaim. It had been written for printer Johannes Gutenberg, and was originally titled “Festgesang” (Festival Song).

Mendelssohn was the “everyman”. His charisma and creative energy influenced the way he made his music, and affected the way it was presented to the world’s discerning audiences. The curtain closed on Mendelssohn’s career when he died at the age of 38 of complications from frequent strokes and stress-induced heart ailments.