Mendelssohn-Haus – A Museum Dedicated to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy:
Mendelssohnhaus, Leipzig © LTM
Built in 1844 in the style of late Classicism, Mendelssohn-Haus is an important representation of its time and it preserves much of the original construction and information about its most prominent resident. Leipzig was the most important and influential period of Mendelssohn’s short life and as such the house is of great historical and cultural significance. Mendelssohn-Haus has, since 1997, been made into a museum in honour of this brilliant German composer, virtuoso and conductor who was also a very good painter and active in the field of cultural and educational policy.
The house has been carefully restored to what it looked like during Mendelssohn’s residency. Some of the visitors to Mendelssohn-Haus included Robert Schumann, Clara Wieck, and Franz Liszt, as well as Richard Wagner, musicians of the Gewandhaus orchestra, teachers of the Leipzig university and of the conservatory. Today’s visitor to Mendelssohn-Haus can experience in this building an authentic place where many progressive ideas and discussions of worldly affairs and of the European musical life took place amongst the great composers. At the museum you can admire the living room with original furniture of the artist as well as several water-colour paintings and letters.
Although Mendelssohn was one of the most significant composers of the first half of the 19th century, his Jewish background caused contempt to be directed towards him during the National Socialists period. His accomplishments were almost forgotten during that time.
To preserve Mendelssohn’s works and legacy, regular concerts are held in the music salon on Sundays at 11:00. Visitors can attend the concert and then wander around the museum to learn more about this famous composer. There are also some evening concerts that you can book here.
Address:
Mendelssohn-Haus Leipzig
Goldschmidtstraße 12
04103 Leipzig
Map of Leipzig:
04103 Leipzig, Germany
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We visited the Mendelssohn-Haus last week during our trip to Leipzig.Well worth a visit, spacious and carefully restored with a wealth of information and artefacts from Mendelssohn’s life.His paintings alone are worth seeing-what a genius he was.
State of the art interactive conducting room-a must for musicians (and non musicians!), and a room to listen to his works (via headphones).I just wish we’d known about the Sunday concerts.
The museum needs to be more widely known so, as well as visiting places connected with the incomparable JS Bach, please also remember Felix Mendelssohn who championed so much of Bach’s work.
Hi Sally,
Great to hear that you had an enjoyable time at Mendelssohn-Haus. Thank you for sharing your experience and your recommendation will certainly help others, especially music lovers, to put this museum on their travel agenda.
I hope you’ll have the chance to go back there before too long to enjoy some of the concerts.
Kind regards,
Helen