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Sehnsucht and Wanderlust

Kate Molleson follows Mendelssohn's early journeys, from Berlin salons to Alpine adventures.

This week, Kate Molleson follows Felix Mendelssohn's journeys across Europe. In today's episode, we explore the composer's privileged yet restless youth, from the cultural riches of the Mendelssohn household in Berlin to formative encounters with Goethe, Switzerland's mountain landscapes and the musical gatekeepers of Paris. As Mendelssohn's talent blossoms, so too does a lifelong love of travel. Along the way, we discover how family ambition, artistic mentorship and the lure of distant horizons helped shape one of the most gifted musical minds of the 19th century.

Symphony No. 4 in A major 'Italian', Op. 90
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner, conductor

Rondo capriccioso in E major, Op. 14
Bertrand Chamayou, piano

Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 21
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa, conductor

Piano Quartet in F minor, Op. 2 (Adagio)
The Schubert Ensemble

Octet in E flat major, Op. 20 (Allegro moderato)
Quatuor Ébène
Belcea Quartet

Produced by Ellie Ajao for BBC Audio Wales and West.

Release date:

59 minutes

On radio

Mon 17 Aug 202616:00

Broadcast

  • Mon 17 Aug 202616:00

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