Mendelssohn's Grand Tour: Travel, Discovery, and the Sound of Europe

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Grand Tour became a defining educational experience for Europe's young artists, writers, and aristocrats. Travel offered an opportunity to encounter great works of art, ancient ruins, dramatic landscapes, and vibrant musical traditions. The journey shaped taste, inspired creativity, and influenced a generation of cultural leaders. Felix Mendelssohn embraced this tradition with enthusiasm. His travels through Scotland, Italy, and across Europe inspired some of his finest orchestral works, including the Hebrides Overture, the Scottish Symphony, and the Italian Symphony. This lecture explores the places, people, and experiences that found their way into these beloved compositions through musical excerpts, letters, paintings, and historical context.

Featured Concert Repertoire to be Explored:

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, “Italian”
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37

Taught by a Juilliard faculty Elizabeth Weinfield.