Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I'll want to spend a little time learning about Mendelssohn



After watching the Mendelssohn video, I am wondering who this man really was.  He lived at the crossroads of ideas and music styles and resurrected Bach's music.  On Wikipedia he is a "Lutheran", on Deutsche Welle he is a "Protestant." 

Apparently, the court in Berlin had Calvinist leanings.  Yet, Mendelssohn was the reviver of Bach, surprising himself with the irony.

"It also led to one of the very few references which Mendelssohn ever made to his origins: 'To think that it took an actor and a Jew's son (Judensohn) to revive the greatest Christian music for the world!' (cited by Devrient in his memoirs of the composer)."

He strikes me an interesting man living in an interesting time and place, I would not mind reading more about.

Martin and I once went to experience "Elijah" at the Winspear Center.  It was phenomenal. The taunting of the false gods I can still recall in my mind.
Before Christmas, our famous local Rev. M. played an organ work at the hymn festival.  It was also most impressive.  Andrea always enjoyed her Mendelssohn pieces much more than any Bach.