Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period. He is best known for his overtures and incidental music to Shakespeare's plays, as well as his oratorio Elijah and his symphonies. Mendelssohn was born into a prominent Jewish family in Hamburg, Germany in 1809. He was a child prodigy, and by the age of 12 had already composed several works. He went on to become one of the most influential composers of the 19th century, and his works are still performed today.