Februar

Jacob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn - Bartholdy was born February 3, 1809. He grew up in an atmosphere of privileged wealth: what Harold Schonberg refers to as "...almost grim culture." His father, Abraham Mendelssohn, who was the son of the eminent philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, was an influential banker and played an important role in the social, intellectual and artistic city of Berlin. He married Lea Soloman, the granddaughter of one of Berlin's most affluent citizens. Their four children were given the finest education available. The atmosphere of their home was sophisticated, elite and enlightened and as a result they became singleminded and serious.
Many famous musicians, artists, philosophers, and literary figures of the day attended the Mendelssohn family's Sunday evening concerts. During these growing - up years Felix established friendships with Goethe and Hegel. Goethe's emphasis on the dynamic and productive aspects of art and Hegel's belief that "even in instrumental music the composer should devote equal attention to two aspects - musical structure, and the expression of an admittedly indeterminate content, "greatly influenced Mendelssohn's tendency toward the classical period's values of clear ideas and pure form.

Lista utworów:
Six pieces for Children op. 72 (Mendelssohn F.)
Songs without words (Mendelssohn F.)
Confidence op. 19 nr 4 (Mendelssohn F.)
Regrets op. 19 nr 2 (Mendelssohn F.)
Hunting - Song op. 19 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Venetian Boat - Song No. 1 op. 19 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Venetian Boat - Song No. 2 op. 30 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Folksong op. 53 nr 5 (Mendelssohn F.)
Contemplation op. 30 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
May Breezes op. 62 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
Posthumous (Mendelssohn F.)
Consolation op. 30 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Spring - Song op. 62 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Tarantella op. 102 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Spinning - Song op. 67 nr 4 (Mendelssohn F.)
Wedding March (from a Midsummer Night's Dream) (Mendelssohn F.)
Characteristic Piece (with Longing) op. 7 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Andante (from Fantasie) op. 16 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
Scherzo op. 16 nr 2 (Mendelssohn F.)
Praeludium in E Minor (Mendelssohn F.)
Rondo Capriccioso op. 14 (Mendelssohn F.)

These 12 New Etudes were written for Paul Jacobs; my hope of hearing him play them was thwarted by his death. I extend my dedication to include, in gratitude, John Musto, who premiered three of these Etudes in February 1986 in New York, and Marc-Andre Hamelin, who premiered the first nine that July in California. They inspired me to complete the set, which I had unifinished after Etude 9. William Bolcom Sept. 2, 1986