Complex sentence: On Zelter's death in 1832, Mendelssohn had hopes of succeeding him as conductor of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin; but at a vote in January 1833 he was defeated for the post by Carl Friedrich Rungenhagen.
Split into simpler sentences: On Zelter's death in 1832, Mendelssohn had hopes of succeeding him as conductor of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. However, at a vote in January 1833 he was defeated for the post by Carl Friedrich Rungenhagen.