The Birth of British Music - 4. Mendelssohn, The Prophet

Mendelssohn - The Prophet
In the final programme, he looks at Mendelssohn, whose music embodies the sound of the Victorian age. Mendelssohn's overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream captured the Victorians' fondness for fairy stories, and he pioneered the use of a new conductor's tool - the baton. Charles's journey includes a trip to Birmingham Town Hall, where a massed choir performs extracts from Mendelssohn's iconic work Elijah.