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Felix Mendelssohn Quotes

Powerful Felix Mendelssohn for Daily Growth

About Felix Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a prolific German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period. Born in Hamburg to a Jewish family with strong musical background, he showed exceptional talent at an early age. Mendelssohn's musical education began under his mother Lea Salomon, followed by lessons from his father Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who was also a gifted musician. At just 12 years old, Mendelssohn gave a highly successful public concert in Berlin which included a performance of his own compositions. In 1823, the family moved to Leipzig where Mendelssohn continued his studies at the Thomasschule and became the school's organist at age 17. During this time, he conducted performances of J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion and St John Passion, reintroducing these works to the public after centuries of obscurity. Mendelssohn composed a vast array of music throughout his life, including symphonies, concertos, oratorios, chamber music, piano music, and choral works. Some of his most famous works include the overture "The Hebrides" (1830), the Octet for Strings in E-flat major (1825), the Violin Concerto in E minor (1844), and oratorios such as "Elias" (1846) and "Paulus" (1836). His Symphony No. 5, known as the "Reformation Symphony," was premiered in Leipzig on March 22, 1830 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Despite his numerous accomplishments, Mendelssohn's life was marked by health issues and personal tragedies. In 1847, while conducting a series of concerts in Scotland, he suffered a stroke and died shortly afterward at the age of 38. Despite his untimely death, Mendelssohn remains one of the most celebrated figures in the history of Western music, known for his innovative compositions, profound musicianship, and significant contributions to musical scholarship.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music does not speak; it expresses itself in tones."

This quote by Felix Mendelssohn emphasizes that music is a non-verbal form of expression, rather than simply spoken language. Instead, it communicates through the use of melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and other musical elements. Music's power lies in its ability to evoke emotions, convey messages, and inspire without relying on words. In essence, Mendelssohn suggests that music is a unique art form capable of expressing complex thoughts and feelings in a way that transcends the limitations of spoken or written language.

"I repeat, music is the divine way to tell beautiful, sacred ideas."

This quote by Felix Mendelssohn suggests that music has a profound, spiritual quality, capable of expressing lofty, ethereal concepts. It implies that music serves as a unique means for humans to communicate ideas that are sacred or aesthetically beautiful in nature, transcending the limitations of language and connecting directly with emotions. In essence, Mendelssohn's words emphasize the power of music as a universal language, capable of touching souls and evoking powerful emotional responses.

"There are two kinds of music: the kind we keep and the kind that goes."

This quote by Felix Mendelssohn suggests a categorization of music into two types: personal (the kind we keep) and transient (the kind that fades away). It could also imply that certain music resonates deeply with us, becoming part of our personal collection of memories and experiences, while other music may be more fleeting in its impact. Ultimately, it highlights the subjective nature of musical appreciation and its ability to leave an indelible mark on our lives.

"All human work has one end in view, whether it be serving the mind or the senses, and all fine work has but one object – beauty."

This quote by Felix Mendelssohn underscores the universal purpose of human endeavors, suggesting that they are all ultimately aimed towards achieving something beautiful or satisfying, either intellectually (serving the mind) or physically (serving the senses). In other words, beauty is the ultimate goal of any work that can be considered 'fine', implying excellence and quality. This perspective emphasizes the importance of aesthetics in human life and creativity, suggesting that we strive to create and appreciate beauty not only for its intrinsic value but also as a means of fulfilling our fundamental human desire for meaning and understanding.

"The only narrow-minded people who find mathematics difficult are those who have no imagination and who therefore resist any attempt to think of numbers as anything but numbers."

This quote by Felix Mendelssohn emphasizes the importance of imagination in understanding and appreciating mathematics. He suggests that individuals who struggle with mathematics might be struggling due to a lack of creative thinking or an inability to see beyond the concrete representation of numbers, instead treating them simply as abstract symbols without exploring their underlying concepts or connections. Mendelssohn encourages us to think about numbers in imaginative ways, such as visualizing patterns, relationships, and applications, which can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of mathematics.

These seem to me so ambiguous, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music, which fills the soul with a thousand things better than words.

- Felix Mendelssohn

Comparison, Vague, Which, Fills

People often complain that music is too ambiguous, that what they should think when they hear it is so unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me, it is exactly the opposite, and not only with regard to an entire speech but also with individual words.

- Felix Mendelssohn

Ambiguous, Entire, Unclear

Though everything else may appear shallow and repulsive, even the smallest task in music is so absorbing, and carries us so far away from town, country, earth, and all worldly things, that it is truly a blessed gift of God.

- Felix Mendelssohn

Gift, Country, Away, Everything Else

Ever since I began to compose, I have remained true to my starting principle: not to write a page because no matter what public, or what pretty girl wanted it to be thus or thus; but to write solely as I myself thought best, and as it gave me pleasure.

- Felix Mendelssohn

Best, Thought, Principle, Pretty Girl

The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.

- Felix Mendelssohn

Beautiful, Unity, Essence, Variety

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