AllMovie

It marked an intriguing historical footnote and one that gave rise to an unusual situation. In addition to sustaining a reputation for centuries as one of Germany's most preeminent composers and a national symbol of musical brilliance to Germans, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47) was ethnically Jewish, his Judaic roots long forgotten by many, including those at the head of the Nazi party. When this came to light under Hitler's regime, the Nazis were horrified and did everything in their power to stamp out performance and publication of the composer's works. As directed by Mendelssohn's great-great-great-great niece, Sheila Hayman, this program discusses those events in great detail. It also sheds a light on another facet of the composer's world - the fact that he was a passionate, devoted Lutheran (despite his familial background). This lent an intriguing combination of Jewish and Christian roots to his music that wielded enormous influence over it, in terms of form and content.