Felix Mendelssohn's organ teacher was August Wilhelm Bach, who was not related to Johann Sebastian Bach.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mendelssohn had a deep love for the organ and its music, often seeking out churches and organs during his travels.
Instruments
The organs used for this recording were built by Eberhard Friedrich Walcker, a leading European organ builder of the 19th century, in 1844 and 1846.
Performer Biography
Christian Schmitt, the organist on this album, has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic and at the Salzburg Festival, and is the Principal Organist of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.
Historical Context
Mendelssohn's passion for the organ went against the grain of his time, as Viennese Classicism showed little interest in the instrument after Bach's death.
Composition History
Mendelssohn's Six Sonatas op. 65 were not composed as a single collection, but rather assembled from various existing individual pieces.
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