Sexy Clara ...and Felix

Clara - wonderful gal.

She lived very much under the wing of her father, Friedrich Wieck - and grew up to be daddy's little pianist. She was very good, going on several tours of Europe, giving several performances, and doing the whole concert pianist thing, representing not only women, but the anti-Liszt brigade as well. If Liszt stood for everything oober flashy and over-the-top, Roberto and Clara stood for the opposite. Roberto being a member of the Davidsbundler, and founding the Die neue Zeitschrift für Musik, his magazine, which he would constantly call for less flash and pisazz, and more seriousness of Romantic music. Clara was the piano-playing version of Roberto, touring the world, essentially competting with Franz, but also repressenting the serious side of Romantic music (and performance of Romantic music)

Felix - silly guy.

In my opinion he repressents the melding of Classicalism and Romanticism. He was born a prodogy - at the same starting poing at Mozart, but would never develop nearly as much as Mozart, and never really evolved too much with the evolving Romantic stuff all around him. His music can very Romantic at times, but for the most part, sounds like Classical music on steroids. However, his Songs Without Words, all 8 books of them, do come across as being quite Romantic, and isn't it funny that that is what he is most remembered for?... It is worth noting that he was also a member of the Davidsbundler, and stood for many of the same things that Roberto did. yada yada yada - Felix was a cool cat.

It is also worth noting that my first cat's name was Felix, and every time I think of Felix Mendelssohn, I picture a huge fat fluffy black cat....

This was the closest I could find to a cat similar to Felix - I do think he was a little fatter though...