Peakviewmusic.com Wedding March by Mendelssohn arranged for trumpet quartet by Daniel Leavitt

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) began his musical life as a child prodigy. He and his sister Fanny learned many languages and artistics pursuits from their mother. Felix, born in Hamburg, performed at the piano and composed music from a very early age. The social life of his parents brought him widespread recognition, and provided much experience. His grandfather was a Jewish philosopher, but his father (a banker) left the Jewish faith for Christianity and adopted the family name of Bartholdy which is why Felix's surname is sometimes quoted as Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. As a young boy, Felix met and befriended the elder Goethe who was to prove an enduring influence on the musician. Mendelssohn toured Europe visiting a number of countries where he sketched musical fragments later to be turned into concert works, which is why a number of his works bear titles suggesting these countries. He visited Scotland, writing the seeds for his Scottish Symphony and the Fingal's Cave overture (following a trip to visit the Isle of Staffa, near Mull) and meeting Sir Walter Scott. He sketched his Italian Symphony while visiting Rome and Naples, and note that three of his "Songs Without Words" are Venetian Boat Songs. He was famous particularly in his native Germany and in England, a country he visited several times becoming a favourite of Queen Victoria. He first performed his oratorio Elijah in 1846 at the Birmingham Festival. In his mature years he was to hold a number of posts in Dusseldorf, Berlin and Leipzig where he worked closely with Robert Schumann. His health declined rapidly after hearing of the death of his sister Fanny, he himself died a few months later.