How did Felix Mendelssohn influence later composers’ use of orchestration?

Felix Mendelssohn significantly influenced the development of orchestration through his innovative use of atmospheric effects, delicate textures, and imaginative instrumental color. His ability to evoke specific moods and imagery—such as the "fairylike" quality found in his A Midsummer Night’s Dream incidental music—set a precedent for later composers.123

His influence on the orchestral craft is evident in several ways:

• Anticipating Future Styles: The animated and evocative orchestration in his early works, particularly the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, looked forward to the orchestral manner of Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.1
• Inspiration for Peers: Richard Wagner recognized and drew upon Mendelssohn’s inventive powers as an orchestrator, an influence reflected in Wagner’s own opera The Flying Dutchman.3
• Impressionistic Techniques: His use of "blurred" orchestral effects, notably in The Hebrides, foreshadowed later artistic developments.3
• Legacy of Style: Beyond the 19th century, French composers of the 20th century studied and learned from his grace, technical perfection, and mastery of orchestral color.3