Felix Mendelssohn was born to a wealthy German family and thus grew up with a privileged, educated lifestyle. He began composing symphonies at age 12 and his father would hire private orchestras so Mendelssohn could hear his own music performed. He was an avid fan of Shakespeare. "'At the age of 17, he got it in his head to write an orchestral work that would illustrate the characters of his favorite play," Greenberg says. This is the piece that's called the "Overture" to A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it's one of the masterworks of 19th-century orchestral literature." The famous March was written as a part of his music for A Midsummer Night's Dream and first performed in Potsdam in 1842. However, the music was not used for a wedding until 1858 at the wedding of "Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, the oldest child of Queen Victoria, when she married Frederick William IV of Prussia." This royal event did wonders for the March's popularity. The March has been a staple in weddings ever since.
source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18822541
No comments:
Post a Comment