Few careers could present more startling contrasts than those of
Mozart and Mendelssohn, in many respects of similar genius, but
utterly opposed in the whole surroundings of their lives. FELIX
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY was the grandson of the celebrated philosopher,
Moses Mendelssohn, and the son of a rich Hamburg banker. His uncles
were distinguished in literary and social life. His friends from early
childhood were eminent scholars, poets, painters, and musicians, and
his family moved in the most refined and wealthy circles. He was
nursed in the lap of luxury, and never knew the cold and hunger of
life. All the good fairies and graces seemed to have smiled benignly
on his birth, and to have showered on him their richest gifts. Many
successful wooers of the muse have been, fortunately for themselves,
the heirs of poverty, and became successful only to yield themselves
to fat and slothful ease. But, with every incitement to an idle and
contented life, Mendelssohn toiled like a galley-slave, and saw in his
wealth only the means of a more exclusive consecration to his art. A
passionate impulse to labour was the law of his life.
Many will recollect the brilliant novel, _Charles Auchester_, in
which, under the names of Seraphael, Aronach, Charles Auchester, Julia
Bennett, and Starwood Burney, are painted the characters of
Mendelssohn, Zelter his teacher, Joachim the violinist, Jenny Lind,
and Sterndale Bennett, the English composer. The brilliant colouring
does not disguise nor flatter the lofty Christian purity, the splendid
genius, and the great personal charm of the composer, who shares in
largest measure the homage which the English public lays at the feet
of Handel.
As child and youth Mendelssohn, born at Hamburg, February 3, 1809,
displayed the same precocity of talent as was shown by Mozart. Sir
Julius Benedict relates his first meeting with him. He was walking in
Berlin with Von Weber, and the latter called his attention to a boy
about eleven years old, who, perceiving the author of "Der
Freischütz," gave him a hearty greeting. "'Tis Felix Mendelssohn,"
said Weber, introducing the marvellous boy. Benedict narrates his
amazement to find the extraordinary attainments of this beautiful
youth, with curling auburn hair, brilliant clear eyes, and lips
smiling with innocence and candour. Five minutes after young
Mendelssohn had astonished his English friend by his admirable
performance of several of his own compositions, he forgot Weber,
quartets, and counterpoint, to leap over the garden hedges and climb
the trees like a squirrel. When scarcely twenty years old he had
composed his octet, three quartets for the piano and strings, two
sonatas, two symphonies, his first violin quartet, various operas,
many songs, and the immortal overture of "A Midsummer-Night's Dream."
Mendelssohn received an admirable education, was an excellent
classicist and linguist, and during a short residence at Düsseldorf
showed such talent for painting as to excite much wonder. Before he
was twenty he was the friend of Goethe and Herder, who delighted in a
genius so rich and symmetrical. Some of Goethe's letters are full of
charming expressions of praise and affection, for the aged Jupiter of
German literature found in the promise of this young Apollo something
of the many-sided power which made himself so remarkable.