In 15311 he doelined an offered professorship of music in the University of Berlin, and in the same year he traveled to Italy. in Rome he began one of his most important NVO1'1:s, the can tata to I;oethe's First 1 1 alpurgis Night, and in a letter to Fanny, dated front llonie, in February, Hal. he writes that the /to/ion Symphony is 'flaking great progress. ..\ fter travels, in cluding visits to l'aris and Loudon, where his appearant.es again were highly successful. he ac cepted an invitation to conduct a musie festival at Diisseldorl. This led to his taking. in 1833, the post of musical director of the city, where he remained, quickening the musical life of the place and int the composition of the greater part of his oratorio of Saint Paul. until 1835. when he became conductor of the famous Cew•and haus concerts in Leipzig. here IllA activity was of the utmost importance. Ile not only brmiglit the orchestra to a high state of perfection, but he was ehielly in the founding of the is 1pzig Comscrvatory.
Ilis oratorio of Saint Pau/ wits brought out sit the Lower Rhenish Musical Festival (q.v.). at Dlisseldorf, under his 0AV11 dirrrlion, in May. I814. lu irs3i he married ('".vile dean-Renaud. the daughter of a l'reneh elergynmn in Frank fort. Their union (Va. a most happy one. Dur ing his incumbency at Leipzig he made frequent tours, and in 1'i41 went. at the invitation of Fredcri.•k \\ illiam IV.. to Berlin, and at. his l:;11111111 composed the mush. to (/:,/iims, :Ind I only'''. I tho/ir; and the rest of his music to the 1/ //NU Ill MCI' ight's Dream. Lute in 1'i 12 he returned to Leipzig. Previously during that year he had visited land for the seventh time. an.1 by invitation had played for Quieen Vietori t and the Prince l'onsort at I tii,k ]':I]aee. iI 1'iII he wlls again in England. and in I" Ili, brought out with •ncee-s at the Birmingham festival his oratorio INIT the sudden death of hi. beloved sister Fanny value as a great shark to him. and his system. weakened by overwork. succumbed. In September. in Leipzig, while listening to his own recently com posed Night Song. he swooned away. Nervous
prostration followed, and ou November 4th he died.
I'roL:ilrl• no composer ever was so feted during his lifetime or lost so much ground after his death as Alendelssolin. He was the idol of the public and a large circle of friends. la England his popularity amounted to a Alen delssolin worship. llis music, polished like him self. perfect in form. melodious. easily under stood, and not too difficult technically. imme diately became popular in concert and drawing rooms. It presented no problems and solved none. Ile was, as a rule, a rapid producer; the music to WaS composed in eleven days. But the very quality which made his music attain such immediate popularity. a certain su perficial prettiness. has caused much of it to be laid aside. His oratories still are given. and the Elijah especially holds its own; the violin concerto is an admirable composition; the Mid summer Night's Dream overture has fairylike grace: certain Songs Without Words and the l'aria t ions ,s/ricascs have a definite value in the pianoforte curriculum; and several of his choral works are highly valued. But the bulk of his is less and less heard of. As a conductor his attitude toward new departures was not friendly. Wagner's Ta nnhii user overture he played at a Gewandhaus concert 'as a warning example.' But for Bach and the appreciation of Beethoven's later works he did much.
Consult: La m pa d i s, Life of 31 endelssohn (English translation by Cage, London, 1876), a standard work; Ilockstro, ilendelssohn, "Great .:tlusicians Series" (London, 1890). an exeellent short life: Hensel. The .11cndelssohn Family, 1729-18P, from Letters and Journals translation by Carl Klingemann, New York, 1 88 1 ) ; Sehubring, le'cminiscenees of Felix Men delssolt n, in the London .1/ 'islet] 1 Work/ for :May 1'2 and 19. 18t36; !tiller, .11 cruielssoh Letters and Recollections (London. 1 874); and an exhaustive biography in Crove. Dictionary of .11 usie and .11 usicians (London, 1890).