The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-01-30
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS

Amirers of Mendelssohn, the per-
former, conductor and composer, who
was born to the world century ago,
next Wednesday. During the past
week celebrations of the Mendelssohn
centenary have been the order of the
day. The excellent qualities of his
orchestration have been masterfully re-
produced by great and small orchestras
shedding their sweetness and light. We
J. Henderson, the well known New
York musical critic, referring to the
great composer and the hundreth ami
versary of his birth says:
IF authorities had not agreed to dis
agree music might this year have cele-
brated the anniversary of the birth of
Poe, Frederic Chopin, but 1t seems to
be pretty we'll established that tho
| painter of nocturnes in silver and gold
was born in 1910. Nevertheless music
| is not without her centenary, for a
hundred years ago, on Feb. 8, 1909, in
the house IA Crosse Michaelistrasse,
| Hamberg, there was born to Abraham
| and Leah Mendelssohn son who was
named Jakob Ludwig Felix Possibly
| neither parent saw anything in this
child to distinguish him from others
but it was not many years before the
excellent father was compelled to say
with gentle pathos: Il used to be
spoken of as the son of Moses Mendels-
sohn; now am the father of Felix"
TT is not essential now to rehearse
the story OF Mendelssohn's life. He
was juvenile prodigy. He made a
public appearance as a pianist ar the
L nq aa H. - 49, q
composer. Two facts shine out clear
4 ly from this period. His penmanshir
in music was extremely neat and he
wrote a fugue which warmed his faith
er's heart, because it showed reflection
and respect for order Composition
went on apace, for this fine healthy
/ boy, opulent in animal spirits, wrote
spontaneously and elegantly, but with
4 out any unhealthful drain on his emo
tions. 1t was rather the unnatural ex-
citement OF public appearances that
undermined his strength and was the
ultimate cause of his early death.
1T VISA perhaps in 1926 the boys
creative faculty really began to exhibit
/ itself. although he had composed many
pieces OF large calibre before that time
But the octet for strings, opus 29, the
4 Trumpet overture and the completion
Of the opera The Marriage of Camachc
belong to that year, The scherzo Of thu
octet is indeed significant 1t is the rea
/ MendelssoI1n.
| in 1926 this wonderful boy wrote
the overture to Shakespeare's Midsum
mer Nights Dream. He composed i
first as a piano piece for four hands
and played 1T with his gifted sister
1 Fanny. In 1923 he had begun his stud,
of Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Il
1927 he assembled a small choir for III
practice, together with Edward Devri
ent as one of the soloists. In 1872
! came the famous performances of tn
st. Matthew Passion at the Singakad
enie, Mendelssohn conducting. 1t wa
this performance which led to the re
fivai OF interest In the long neglecte,
works OF Bach.
Mendelssohn was now full launches
on his career as performer, conducto
. and composer The story Of his artist
life has been told often and well In re
cent years there has been less eager
ness IN America to hear his music thal
. there was formerly for the appetite to
] sensation has dulled appreciation .
such of MendelBsoIan's 8 art which aaonl