Felix Mendelssohn, you magnificent bastard. (I read your book! …Wait. (“Patton?” Anyone? Ok I’ll stop.)) Mendelssohn wrote this in 1830. Let’s see what else was happening around that time, shall we?
- The first railroad station in the United States opened (in Baltimore)
- The Republic of Ecuador became a country
- “Mary Had A Little Lamb” was published
- Revolution broke out in Paris in opposition to the rule of Charles X
- Charles Grey, the second Earl Grey (yes, like the tea), became Prime Minister of Great Britain
- Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia recognized the new country of Belgium
- Hector Berlioz premieres his “Symphony Fantastique”
And Mendelssohn wrote this gorgeous symphony, inspired by a trip he took to Scotland.
Mendelssohn was German and one of the early Romantic composers. He definitely crams a lot of feeling into nine minutes. I love the swelling major to minor at 4:28. Gives me tingles every time. Although I do deeply resent that he wrote this piece when he was 21. Show-off.
The Daily Tune-Up 
I had the great pleasure of sailing in the Hebrides two years ago, and passing the mouth of Fingal’s Cave on the isle of Staffa with this piece playing on our boat. It’s an extraordinary sight!
I am incandescent with jealousy. How awesome is that!