MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Jakob Ludwig Felix, German composer: b. Hamburg, 5 Feb. 1809; d. Leipzig, 4 Nov. 1847. The kindly influences which, like a halo, encircled the life of the illustrious man, are reflected in many of his best compositions. He was born in prosperity, reared in plenty and at nearly all times was surrounded by conditions con ducive to success. It has been said that in no way was Mendelssohn's naturalness and naiveté more evident than in his constant refer ence to his own foibles; and further, that the hearty way in which he enjoyed idleness and boasted of it were delightful in a man who got through so much work, who was singularly temperate and whose only weakness for the products of the kitchen was for rice, milk and cherry pie. "I do not in the least concern my self,o said he, gas to what people wish or praise or pay for; but solely as to what I my self consider good." It is doubtful whether the history of any other great musician discloses so wide a com bination of qualities. Some of his biographers have expressed the thought that his happy dis position prevented his work from attaining that degree of depth which it might have done had his genius been subjected to fiery trials. Be this as it may, the fact remains that among all the German composers there is not one who has enjoyed such universal popularity, cer tainly in America and England, as Mendels sohn. His oratorios, 'Saint Paul' and 'Elijah,' are sung 'everywhere, while his 'Hymn of Praise,' the 'Overture to the Hebrides,' his symphonies, sonatas, concert-overtures, settings for certain Psalms and 'Songs without Words' are familiar to all.
Seventy-two of Mendelssohn's numbered works were published before his death and 47 later, while 23 of his compositions, many of them including two or more pieces, had no "opus') numbers assigned to them. Six other of his published compositions have been re corded, while his unpublished pieces, mostly in autograph and principally composed before he was of age, are quite numerous, including 12 symphonies, several fugues, concertos, sonatas, studies, fantasias, etc.
Felix was the second child and eldest son of Abraham Mendelssohn, a Jewish banker of Hamburg, and Lea (or Leah)* Salomon, a resi dent of Berlin, and a Jewish lady of consider able property and attainments, to whom he was married on 26 Dec. 1804. The grandfather of Felix was Moses Mendelssohn (q.v.), who settled in Berlin in 1762 and married Fromet, daughter of Abraham Gugenheim, of Hamburg. Moses' father was named Mendel, a poor Jew ish schoolmaster of Dessau, on the Elbe. Thus the name Mendelssohn (son of Mendel) simply perpetuates the Oriental method of name making.
When not three years old Felix was taken to Berlin, and five years later (1816) his father took him and his sister Fanny, four years the senior of Felix, to Paris on a business trip. While there they both received lessons on the piano from Madame Bigot, hut it was not till after their return to Berlin that their sys tematic education commenced. Ludwig Berger became their piano instructor and Zelter taught them thorough-bass and composition. In 1824 Moscheles became acquainted with the family, and while he declined to accept Felix as a pupil consented to offer him suggestions and advice. In the same year Spohr visited Berlin and renewed his friendship with the family, which had been formed at Cassel in the sum mer of 1822 where the family had gone for the purpose of introducing Felix to him. In his eighth year Felix played the piano with re markable ability, and about a year later (1818) he made his first formal public appearance. This was at a concert given by Joseph Gugel, a virtuoso on the horn. At 11 he joined the Singakademie as an alto. In 1820 Felix com menced systematic work as a composer, al though before that time he had written from 50 to 60 complete movements. The earliest date of which a dated autograph is preserved was attached to a cantata entitled (In riihrend feierlichen Tonen,) which he completed on 13 January of that year.