When did Felix Mendelssohn finish writing the Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Felix Mendelssohn finished writing his Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream on the 6th of August 1826. He was seventeen years and six months old at that moment.
Questions about A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did the overture receive its premiere by Felix Mendelssohn?
The overture received its premiere in Stettin on the 20th of February 1827. Carl Loewe conducted the concert while Mendelssohn traveled eighty miles through a raging snowstorm to attend.
Who commissioned new incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream from Felix Mendelssohn?
King Frederick William IV commissioned new incidental music in 1842. This commission led to further works including Oedipus at Colonus and Athalie.
What instruments were originally used in the score by Felix Mendelssohn?
The original part was written for English bass horn or corno inglese di basso. This instrument appeared at both the first performance and London premiere of 1829 before Mendelssohn later replaced it with the ophicleide.
Which film adaptation featured music from Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Portions played extensively in The Scarlet Empress directed by Josef von Sternberg in 1934. Max Reinhardt hired Erich Wolfgang Korngold to re-orchestrate music for his 1935 film adaptation.