»Mendelssohn und die Nachwelt«

The international online symposium “Mendelssohn und die Nachwelt – Mendelssohn and Posterity”, taking place on November 13 and 14, 2026, explores the reception of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s works from the 19th century to the present day.

The presentations examine the reception of his music in Europe, Israel, and the United States. Topics include the influence of religious affiliation and antisemitic prejudice, as well as the roles of performance practice, research, and cultural memory. A further focus is the significance of his compositions in musical life today.

Presentations begin at 9:00 a.m. (CET) on both days and will be held in German and English. All those interested are warmly invited to join the symposium and discussions via Zoom.

Online participation on November 13, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. (CET)
Join the Zoom meeting on November 13
Meeting ID: 881 5476 9173
Passcode: 957386

Online participation on November 14, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. (CET)
Join the Zoom meeting on November 14
Meeting ID: 886 7084 3754
Passcode: 503640

Programm 13. November

9 Uhr
Die Rezeption Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys in Deutschland vor
1900 zwischen jüdisch-christlicher Tradition und Moderne (Keynote I) -
Helmut Loos (Universität Leipzig)

10.30 Uhr
Mendelssohn und Rheinberger -
Birger Petersen (Johannes-Gutenberg-Uni Mainz)

11 Uhr
Mendelssohn und Hans von Bülow -
Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen (Universität Zürich)

11.30 Uhr
Mendelssohn und Liszt -
Agnes Watzatka (Franz-Liszt-Musikakademie Budapest)

12.30 Uhr
Reception of Mendelssohn in 19th Century Italy, particularly in
Italian Synagogues (Keynote II) -
Luca Galbiati (HfM Dresden)

13.30 Uhr
Mendelssohn’s Heritage in Italy. Jewish Identity and Aesthetic
resistance in Castelnuovo-Tedesco -
Virginia Rossetti (Conservatory of Music Rovigo)

14 Uhr
Performance in Italian of Mendelssohn’s Choirs -
Andrea Semeraro (Teatro alla Scala Choir)

14.30 Uhr
The Reception of Mendelssoh in Early 20th-Century Italy
Through the F.I.R.S.T. Piano Rolls -
Pietro Zappalà (Università di Pavia)

15.30 Uhr
Translating Mendelssohn: Lieder immagrating to Palestine -
Ido Ariel (Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance)

16 Uhr
„… im Schatten des Wundenmals in der Luft (… in the shadow of ascar in the air)”
– the reception of Mendelssohn by students of international seminars -
Judit Frigyesi (Bar Ilan University)

16.30 Uhr
The Reception of Felix Mendelssohn’s Lieder in 19th Century America -
Heather Platt (Ball State University, Muncie/Indiana)

17.30 Uhr
Reception of „Die schöne Melusine“ op. 32 -
Walter Stedman (University of Illinois)

18 Uhr
The History of the Mendelssohn Club (Chorus) of Philadelphia -
Dominick DiOrio (Artistic Director of the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia)
Michael Moore (Program Annotator)

18.30 Uhr
Mendelssohn and the Philharmonic Society of London -
Sarah Clemmens Waltz (University of the Pacific, Stockton/California)

13.11.2026