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Article: Composer's soft style had its hard critics.(The Dallas Morning News)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- August 25, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Scott Cantrell
In an age when classical musicians were as famous as today's movie stars, Felix Mendelssohn may have been the most famous of all.
He was a child prodigy even more brilliant than Mozart. He was hailed by Robert Schumann, among others, as the pre-eminent German composer of his day.
As conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, he virtually created the concept of the modern symphony concert and the modern conductor. At age 20, he conducted a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion that helped spark a great revival of the composer's music. A skilled pianist and organist, he founded the Leipzig Conservatory.
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