In case you were not aware, this month is the bicentennial of the birth of Felix Mendelssohn.  (His actual birthday was February 3.)

While I’m not sure that I would pull out my bag o’ superlatives to describe Mendelssohn’s musick, I am still nonetheless fond of some of it.  I also hold Mendelssohn in considerable esteem for the work he did to reignite interest in the musick of J.S. Bach.  I further like him because he bucks the Romantic Artiste stereotype by having been happy, prosperous and popular.

At any rate, in celebration of this anniversary, the local classickal radio station has been going heavy on the Mendelssohn playlist all month.  Among the orchestral pieces, they seem especially to be favoring his Symphony No. 3 in A minor, known as the “Scottish” Symphony.

I don’t mind this bias in the least because if put to it I would have to say that the “Scottish” is my favorite of all his symphonies.  Conversely, when I was a yoot I used to be a big fan of his “Italian” Symphony – No. 4 in A Major.  Now I really can’t stand it.

On occassion I attempt (rayther feebly) to play some of Mendelssohn’s keyboard works.  In particular I enjoy his Rondo Cappriccioso.    There is also a little A minor (I think) scherzo that I like to mess with which makes a cameo in, of all things, The Wizard of Oz.  (It accompanies the bit where Toto is getting away from the Witch’s castle.)