Charles Hazlewood

MENDELSSOHN - A LOVE AFFAIR WITH BRITAIN

Charles Hazlewood outlines the plans for Mendelssohn broadcasts during the Composers of the Year celebrations. Charles was filmed specially for the website in the Church of St Martin-within-Ludgate in the City of London. There has been a church on the site since 1174; the current building was complted in 1680 after the previous church was gutted in the Great Fire of London (1666).

BACKGROUND

Composers of the Year (Radio 3) and The Birth of British Music (BBC Two) is a celebration of the lives of four magnificent composers throughout 2009. The year marks the 350th anniversary of Purcell's birth, the 250th anniversary of Handel's death, the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death and 200th anniversary of Mendelssohn's birth.

Mendelssohn first visited London in 1829, as a precocious 20-year-old. A virtuoso pianist and organist, his music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written when he was still a teenager, had signalled that his was a special talent. As one of the most highly educated figures in classical music, he first came to Britain as part of an educational grand tour. Over the next 18 years, he made 10 further trips to this country, becoming a favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and finding the inspiration to write the Hebrides Overture, the Scottish symphony, and the great oratorio Elijah. Mendelssohn introduced British musicians and their audiences to fresh ideas – revivals of Bach’s great Passions and even how to play under the conductor’s remarkable new tool – the baton. In short, Mendelssohn plugged Britain into the current of European musical thought and in doing so made a lasting impact on our musical life.

BBC Music Composer Profile

WINGS CHOIR GALLERY AND AUDIO PAGE

crosby capriol singers

'Wings' choirs have been sending in their photos and recordings.View the page and listen to Radio 3 Wings features, 

Click to view the choirs' page

WATCH A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM!

A Midsummer NIght's Dream

Watch Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with Mendelssohn's music here online.

Click here to watch online

INDEX OF WINGS PARTICIPATING CHOIRS 

crosby capriol singers

Find the 108 choirs all over the UK, and abroad, which have pledged to perform Mendelssohn's O for the Wings of a Dove.

Click for the choirs' index page

WATCH A WINGS MASTERCLASS WITH THE BBC SINGERS

The BBC Singers and conductor David Hill

David Hill conducts the BBC Singers in a masterclass and performance of Mendelssohn's 'O for the Wings of a Dove'.

Click for the Masterclass video page

PICTURE GALLERY

Mendelssohn

Visit the Mendelssohn picture gallery for a fascinating visual guide to Mendelssohn's life and times.

Click to enter the Gallery

WATCH ELIJAH ONLINE

Conductor Thierry Fischer

Watch the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Thierry Fischer perform Mendelssohn's 'Elijah'.

Click for the Elijah online concert page

BIRTH OF BRITISH MUSIC EXTRA VIDEOS

You can watch special extra video and interview footage from BBC 2 TV's Birth of British Music, Episode 4 (Mendelssohn) here.

Click here for the Mendelssohn extra videos

FAN CLUB

Composers of the Year offers you the chance to receive text alerts giving details of forthcoming broadcasts and events. It's simple to sign up and once you've done so, your text alerts will be free. Click on the link below for full details.

Become a fan of Mendelssohn

DOWNLOAD

Composer of the Week: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Donald Macleod explores the life and work of German pianist, composer, organist, and conductor Felix Mendelssohn. This episode is an edited compilation of the entire week's programmes, broadcast earlier this year, and is only available within the UK.

Download Composer of the Week - Felix Mendelssohn

Help with downloading

THE BIRTH OF BRITISH MUSIC

BBC TWO logo

The Composers of the Year feature in a BBC 2 series, in May 2009 - Charles Hazlewood introduces the programmes.

More about the series

RADIO PROGRAMMES

MENDELSSOHN ON RADIO 3 - CURRENT BROADCASTS

Radio 3 Schedule


The music of Mendelssohn features throughout the BBC Proms 2009 season. Every Prom is broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and many are repeated a few days later. For full details of the Proms season, visit bbc.co.uk/proms

JESSICA DUCHEN'S MENDELSSOHN BLOG

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