Mendelssohn’s mother was an intelligent woman who continually encouraged the intellectual growth of her children. She began teaching Mendelssohn and his sister the piano when they were quite small. His father, a banker, moved the family to Berlin where Mendelssohn received piano lessons from Ludwig Berger, and theory classes from Karl Friedrich. Brought up in a cultured and affluent family, Mendelssohn was spared the penniless existence of a typical musician.

A brilliant child, Mendelssohn composed his first piece in 1820, and worked assiduously on improving his musical style. Goethe and Karl Maria von Weber both visited the Mendelssohn’s home and were astounded by Mendelssohn’s musical proficiency. He was a considered to be another Mozart, and his teachers soon found that he was in no need of lessons.

Mendelssohn’s continual stream of successes did take a toll on his health. Although success came to him quickly, he passed away at the young age of thirty-eight, after suffering a stroke. He was among the first Romantic composers, and his works infused the traditional classical modes of composition with a new sense of tenderness and spirit. One of the most revered musicians of his day, Mendelssohn was laid to rest in his family vault.