7 Felix Mendelssohn 7

Minor (1837), and chamber works. In 1838 Mendelssohn

began the Violin Concerto in E Minor–Major. Though he

normally worked rapidly, this final expression of his lyrical

genius compelled his arduous attention over the next six

years. Later, in the 20th century, the Violin Concerto was

still admired for its warmth of melody and for its vivacity,

and it was also the work of Mendelssohn’s that, for nos-

talgic listeners, enshrined the elegant musical language

of the 19th century.

In 1843 Mendelssohn founded at Leipzig the conser-

vatory of music where he taught composition. Visits to

London and Birmingham followed, entailing an increasing

number of engagements. These would hardly have affected

his normal health; he had always lived on this feverish

level. But at Frankfurt in May 1847 he was greatly saddened

by the death of Fanny. His energies deserted him, and,

following the rupture of a blood vessel, he soon died.

Frédéric Chopin

(b. March 1, 1810, Żelazow, near Warsaw, duchy of Warsaw [now in

Poland]—d. Oct. 17, 1849, Paris, France)

F

rédéric François Chopin, a Polish-French composer

and pianist of the Romantic period, is best known for

his solo pieces for piano and for his piano concerti.

Although he wrote little but piano works, many of them

brief, Chopin ranks as one of music’s greatest tone poets

by reason of his superfine imagination and fastidious

craftsmanship. His works for solo piano include about 61

mazurkas, 16 polonaises, 26 preludes, 27 études, 21 noc-

turnes, 20 waltzes, 3 sonatas, 4 ballades, 4 scherzos, 4

impromptus, and many individual pieces—such as the

Barcarolle, Opus 60 (1846); the Fantasia, Opus 49 (1841); and

the Berceuse, Opus 57 (1845)—as well as 17 Polish songs.