GG: Mendelssohn

[Michael Arnowitt <arnowitt@sover.net>]

I remember reading, at least in one place, that Glenn considered Mendelssohn
the only tolerable early Romantic composer.  Something about the elegance of
his music, the sort of every note in its place perfection - perhaps he was
saying that Mendelssohn wasn't really engaging in egotistical displays of
emotion and hyperexpressivity, that the surface finish of M.'s genius made
it more palatable to GG.

Maybe those of you who might have the original books or writings where Glenn
commented on Mendelssohn could cite them.  I'm beginning to wonder if Glenn
was in reality not praising Mendelssohn, but by giving M. an underhanded
compliment actually criticizing his music, and that I didn't get the joke.
Does anyone else remember these passages, and what your reaction to them was?

I am playing a bit of Mendelssohn now, and it seems that the music has a
negative character trait that Glenn pointed out about the piano music of
Saint-Saens - something like "great music if you like the tactile feeling of
your fingers running up and down the keys ..."

Michael