Carl Friedrich Zelter

Full biography Carl Friedrich Zelter

Carl Friedrich Zelter was a German composer, conductor, and music teacher who lived from 1758 to 1832. He worked in his father's bricklaying business during his youth but his interest in music led him to become a choirboy at the Berlin Cathedral. Zelter studied music with Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch and Johann Philipp Kirnberger, and later worked as the music director at the University of Berlin and the Sing-Akademie. He was an important composer during the Romantic period and is known for his contributions to the development of German choral music.

Zelter was the composition teacher of the young Felix Mendelssohn , and he also had a significant influence on Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix's older sister who was also a composer and pianist. Zelter was so impressed with Fanny that he wrote a letter to the author Goethe , stating that "This child really is something special." In addition to teaching the Mendelssohn siblings , Zelter also mentored other famous composers such as Ludwig Berger.

Zelter composed many works, including oratorios, operas, cantatas, and Lieder. He is perhaps best known for his role in reviving the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, which had fallen out of favor by the end of the 18th century. Zelter performed Bach's St. Matthew Passion and other sacred pieces with the Sing-Akademie and helped to popularize Bach's music in Germany. Zelter's own works, while less well-known today, were highly regarded during his lifetime.

Overall, Carl Friedrich Zelter was an important figure in German music during the 19th century. He helped to shape the Romantic period and was instrumental in the revival of interest in Bach's music. His contributions as a composer, conductor, and teacher continue to be celebrated today.