A Portrait of Mendelssohn.(Book Review)(Brief Article)

A Portrait of Mendelssohn, by Clive Brown. Yale University Press (P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040), 2003. 384pp. $45.

Those expecting yet another standard biographical treatment of Mendelssohn will be pleasantly surprised by this thorough exploration of Mendelssohn--the man and the musician. Instead of following a standard birth-to-death approach, Clive Brown treats us to a segmented one that delves into the man, his many talents, including art, his background, religion and race, professional career, teaching, composing and his critical reception both during and after his lifetime.

Brown relies heavily on Mendelssohn's contemporaries, including lengthy reviews and a generous number of memoirs and letters; these sometimes lengthy entries provide some fascinating reading. In this treatment, the picture of Mendelssohn as seen in his lifetime emerges clearly as a highly respected, polished professional of refined tastes and strong work ethic.

Particularly interesting are the sections dealing with the young Mendelssohn and the impression he made on German musical life as a performer, conductor and composer, as well as those dealing with his ...