When Friedrich Wilhelm IV came to the Prussian throne in 1840 with ambitions to develop Berlin as a cultural centre (including the establishment of a music school, and reform of music for the church), the obvious choice to head these reforms was Mendelssohn.
Da Frederik Wilhelm 4. besteg den preussiske trone i 1840 med ambitioner om at gøre Berlin til kulturelt centrum (blandt andet ved at grundlægge en musikskole og reformere kirkemusikken), var det nærliggende at vælge Mendelssohn som leder af projektet.