“There is one god—Bach—and Mendelssohn is his prophet.” —Hector Berlioz

If Mendelssohn had never written a single note, his place in music history would have been secure for reviving Bach to our consciousness. At the request of the Prussian king, Mendelssohn became director of the Academy of Arts in Berlin and continued to provide commissioned work for the royals. The delightful Flemish couple in the Bear Hunt tapestry echoes an elegance of the court that is timeless.

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