Printer-friendly version
Dorothy Barth

When I First Met Mendelssohn

February 13, 2010 at 4:04 PM

When I First Met Mendelssohn
by Dorothea Barth ©2010
When first I met Mendelssohn
The music made me swoon
In summer of my 15th year
My heart jumped o'r the moon
I played it for my teacher
One who was most renowned
And after a few measures passed
She stopped me, smiled, and frowned
It's lovely, dear, but truth must tell
It's not how it should be
And furthermore, it's far too late
You are no longer three!
With heavy heart and spirit sunk
I brought the tan book home
Forgotten dream, now tucked away
No longer mine to own
And through the years that followed
My studies did go on
I met the Bruch, Viotti too
But not the Mendelssohn
Until some decades later
(I was past 43)
I thirsted for the music
Found one to mentor me
I have no more illusions
I hastened to make clear
Lest verdict recapitulate
I did not want to hear
And then the music flourished
The repertory grew
And a long-lost friend appeared
The Mendelssohn anew
Begin with the Andante
Rehearse it nice and slow
Savor the shifts, caress the trills
And let the music flow
Surrendered to the song's delight
Long past our first romance
It sounded sweet, we made it right
Our unexpected chance

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Facebook YouTube Instagram Email

Violinist.com is made possible by...

Shar Music
Shar Music

Violinist.com Shopping Guide
Violinist.com Shopping Guide

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Dimitri Musafia, Master Maker of Violin and Viola Cases
Dimitri Musafia, Master Maker of Violin and Viola Cases

Anne Cole Violin Maker
Anne Cole Violin Maker

Miroirs CA Classical Music Journal
Miroirs CA Classical Music Journal

Pirastro Strings
Pirastro Strings

JR Judd Violins
JR Judd Violins

Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic

Corilon Violins
Corilon Violins

Classic Violin Olympus

Coltman Chamber Music Competition

Metzler Violin Shop

Southwest Strings

Bobelock Cases

Johnson String Instrument/Carriage House Violins

Bay Fine Strings Violin Shop

Jargar Strings

Fiddlerman.com

FiddlerShop

Violin Lab

Connolly

Barenreiter

Nazareth Gevorkian Violins

Laurie's Books

Discover the best of Violinist.com in these collections of editor Laurie Niles' exclusive interviews.

Violinist.com Interviews Volume 1
Violinist.com Interviews Volume 1, with introduction by Hilary Hahn

Violinist.com Interviews Volume 2
Violinist.com Interviews Volume 2, with introduction by Rachel Barton Pine

Subscribe