In his diary, Sibelius noted the inspiration for the grand theme in his Fifth Symphony: "Today I saw 16 swans. God, what beauty! They circled over me for a long time. Disappeared into the solar haze like a silver ribbon."
Sergei Prokofiev in New York, 1918
"My chief virtue (or if you like, defect) has been a tireless lifelong search for an original, individual musical idiom. I detest imitation, I detest hackneyed devices"
Sergei Prokofiev
Mendelssohn's portrait shown to public
 The portrait has never been displayed to the public |
A rare portrait of the composer Felix Mendelssohn is to go on public view in Scotland, almost two centuries after it was painted.
The portrait - by Thomas Duncan - was painted in Scotland in 1829, during Mendelssohn's first tour of the UK. It was during the Scottish leg of that tour that he composed his famous Hebrides Overture.
The painting will go on display at St John's Cathedral in Oban as part of the Mendelssohn on Mull festival.
It was bought by the current owner's grandfather in 1917.
The family, who wish to remain anonymous because of security fears about the painting, said their grandfather, who was returning home from the Somme after being injured, bought the painting for £3.
It has been in their family in Scotland since then.
Closing concert
Earlier this year they contacted the organisers of the festival - which will celebrate the composer's Scottish connections - to offer the portrait for display.
The work will be shown as part of the closing concert at the cathedral on 4 July.
The London auction house, Sotheby's, has already authenticated the work but it is hoped further investigation of an inscription on the back will offer more detail about the portrait's history.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8002923.stm
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