Mendelssohn House

I had not intended to visit Mendelssohn House in Leipzig, but after being so moved by his Oratorium I decided to see where it was written.

Mendelssohn House, Leipzig

Mendelssohn House is within easy walking distance of the Leipzig Oper so was a no-brainer really. The house is large and imposing, as expected, with an elegant interior but without any of the embellishments that the wealthy surround themselves with nowadays.  Polished wood floors and a small music room where Mendelssohn probably spent most of his time. I found the house aesthetically pleasing.

Music room at Mendelssohn House

Mendelssohn painted as well as composed and several of his watercolours were on display. 

A watercolour by Mendelssohn.

On Sundays concerts are held in the concert room that was once used by the Mendelssohns for their own musical pleasure. It is a particular pleasure to hear music in such surroundings and I was lucky I arrived early enough to get a ticket. The ticket seller told me they were often fully booked.

Perhaps these concerts are on the radar of companies who organise music tours as most of the attendees on the day I was there seemed to be English speakers (Australians?)  

That didn't detract from the performance however, which was played and narrated (in German) by the accomplished Subéja Trio, comprising Flautist, Oboist and Pianist. They played a selection of music (including by Bach's eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach) but no Mendelssohn.

Mendelssohn's Oratorium in Leipzig

I became an instant fan of Mendelssohn on Thursday night. I heard his Oratorium in the Thomaskirche (St Thomas Church) in Leipzig, a church with wonderful acoustics and a long history of musical excellence, both orchestra and choir.

Bach's burial place in Thomaskirche choir stalls

Bach was music director here for over 20 years and his bones are buried in the choir stalls of the church. He was originally buried elsewhere but in 1945 it was decided to bring the bones to St Thomas for safe keeping. It was considered so urgent that they were dug up and taken by wheelbarrow through the bombed city. The wheelbarrower delivered them to the the church with the words "So I've brought you Bach then". 

I found the Oratorium an emotional experience. Hearing this music swell through this magnificent church sent my thoughts to those departed. I am sure the Mendelssohn family's personal history affected me as well.   I kept thinking of how Mendelssohn would have felt when writing  it. The most beautiful music accompanied the end of the story of the stoning of St Stephen, where he, being stoned, called on God to accept his soul and fell asleep.

From the program

I felt so fortunate to be able to hear this music in this city and in this church.