LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Felix Mendelssohn: Scottish Symphony
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In 1829, at the age of twenty, Felix Mendelssohn was asked to conduct the "St. Matthew Passion" by Bach. This was not only timely as Felix's first debut as a maestro, but it was climatic to the revival of Bach's music since the piece had not been performed since the great Bach's death. Also in 1829, Felix traveled to London, and appeared as a guest conductor for the London Philharmonic Society. There, he conducted his own Symphony in C Minor.
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In April 1829 Mendelssohn paid his first visit to London. His reception was most enthusiastic. He made his first appearance before an English audience at one of the Philharmonic Society’s concerts -- then held in the Argyll Rooms -- on the 25th of May, conducting his symphony in C minor from the pianoforte, to which he was led by John Cramer. On the 30th he played Weber’s Concertstück, from memory, a proceeding at that time extremely unusual.
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As well as reviving interest in Bach, Mendelssohn ... kept the work of Franz Schubert before the public. It was he who conducted the premiere of Schubert's Ninth Symphony, more than a decade after the composer's death. In all, Mendelssohn wrote five symphonies. He also wrote two piano concertos and one famous violin concerto which is often seen as an essential piece for young prodigies to play.
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Mendelssohn wrote five symphonies, in addition to an attractive series of twelve early symphonies for strings, completed at the age of fourteen. Of the mature symphonies the Italian Symphony, Symphony no. 4, completed in 1833 and reflecting the composer's experiences in Italy during his Grand Tour, is the most popular, closely followed by Symphony no. 3, the Scottish, with its echoes of the Palace of Holyrood in the days of Mary Queen of Scots. Symphony no. 5, the Reformation, written in 1832 to celebrate the third centenary of the Augsburg Confession, is less often heard, as is Symphony no. 2, the choral Lobgesang, written to mark the fourth centenary of the invention of printing in 1840.
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Mendelssohn's travels in Italy inspired him to write the Symphony No 4 in A major, known as the Italian. Mendelssohn conducted the premiere in 1833, but he did not allow this score to be published during his lifetime as he continually sought to rewrite it.
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In addition, the sights and sounds of many countries visited by Mendelssohn inspired him very much. As a regular habit, he always conformed these experiences into music. Examples of his fine works were Symphony no 3 'Scottish', Symphony no 4 'Italian', Songs Without Words for piano etc.
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