Erection date: 10/4/1993
{On a plaque beside the tree:}
Mendelssohn’s Tree
(See wall plaque for details)
{On the plaque attached to the nearest pillar:}
Part of a Beech Tree (Fagus Sylvatica) over 500 years old which fell in the forest of Burnham Beeches Buckinghamshire during a storm in January 1990. Burnham Beeches was purchased by the Corporation of London on behalf of the nation in 1880. The forest was the favourite haunt of the composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1808 - 1847) during his frequent visits to the area. He used to sit under this tree gaining inspiration to write several works including some of the incidental music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
Presented by the Barbican Horticultural Society to preserve these historic links.
Unveiled by Carl Davies Composer/Conductor, 10th April 1993.
We think 'Davies' is a slip and 'Davis' was intended.
Site: Mendelssohn’s Tree (1 memorial)
EC2, Highwalk
This is on the public high-walk below a north-south covered arcade.
found another plaque, with the logo of the Corporation of London, in Burnham Beeches which reads as follows:
Felix Jakob Ludwig Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, 1809-1847
An old pollarded tree in this part of Burnham Beeches was reputed to be the favoured haunt of the composer Felix Mendelssohn who regularly visited the Beeches whilst staying with friends in East Burnham. It is thought that parts of Puck and Oberon from ‘A Midsummer night’s dream’ {as composed by Mendelssohn, not the original play written by Shakespeare} were inspired by the mossy slope that was here.
The area was re-dedicated in memory of the composer by the planting of this tree by His Excellency Mr Thomas Matussek, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany on 20 October 2005 in a year that also celebrates 125 years of the ownership of Burnham Beeches by the Corporation of London.
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