L’alegria del Romanticisme

Wagner defined Beethoven's seventh as an 'apotheosis of dance' because in this work rhythm plays a crucial role, just as it does with Mendelssohn's first. They are two energetic and vibrant symphonies, written a little over a decade apart, but by authors who represent two artistic generations despite sharing common points. In 1812, Beethoven had already revolutionized music with his stormy and 'heroic' style, his powerful melodies, the contrasts in dynamics, and the ability to shape the orchestra's timbres fascinated later musicians such as the young Mendelssohn, who, at only fifteen years old, wrote his first symphony in 1824 where the heritage of the musician from Bonn does not blur a distinctive style, more lyrical and evocative. The clarity and youthful optimism of Mendelssohn contrast with the depth and solemnity of Beethoven, but they coincide in their overflowing vitality and in the extreme exploration of the orchestra's possibilities.