Overview
Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn, 1805–1847 ) was an outstanding German composer and pianist of the Romantic era. Despite her exceptional talent , she long remained in the shadow of her younger brother Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, as a professional career as a musician was not socially acceptable for women in her time.
Here is an overview of her life and work:
Origin and education
Musical beginnings : Born in Hamburg as the eldest daughter of the Jewish Mendelssohn banking family, she grew up in Berlin in a highly educated environment. She showed a prodigious talent from an early age ; at 13, she played all 24 preludes from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier from memory.
A shared path: She received the same first-class musical training as her brother Felix, including under Carl Friedrich Zelter. The siblings shared a lifelong, deep artistic relationship, in which they served as each other’s closest advisors and critics.
Artistic work
The Sunday Concerts: Since her father and brother both rejected a public career, Fanny concentrated her efforts on the private sphere. In Berlin, she directed the renowned ” Sunday Concerts”—a concert series in the family home that became a significant cultural institution. There , she performed as a pianist and conductor, presenting her own works as well as pieces by her brother .
Compositions: Her complete works comprise over 460 compositions. One focus was on:
Songs: Over 250 songs with piano accompaniment.
Piano works: Including the important cycle The Year (12 character pieces ).
Chamber music: For example, the Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 11.
Larger works: She also composed choral songs and the oratorio based on images from the Bible.
Obstacles and late publication
Her father emphasized early on that music could be a profession for Felix, but only an adornment for her . For this reason, she published some of her early songs under her brother’s name. Only shortly before her untimely death in 1847 did she decide — encouraged by her husband, the painter Wilhelm Hensel, and against her brother’s wishes — to publish her own works under her own name (Op. 1 to Op. 7).
Legacy
Fanny Hensel died in 1847 at the age of only 41 from a stroke during a music rehearsal. Her work was rediscovered only in the 1970s and 80s as part of musicological research on women and is now considered one of the most important of the Romantic era.
History
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was born in Hamburg in 1805 into a highly educated family. Even as a toddler, her mother attested to her ” Bachian fugue fingers , ” and indeed, she, like her younger brother Felix, displayed an extraordinary musical talent. At just 13 years old, she played all 24 preludes from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier for her father from memory.
Although Fanny received the same excellent musical training as Felix, she encountered societal limitations early on. Her father made it unequivocally clear that music could be a profession for her brother, but only an ” adornment ” for her . This attitude reflected the conventions of the time, which prohibited women from pursuing public careers. Fanny came to terms with this by shifting the focus of her activities to the private sphere. She took over the direction of the ” Sunday concerts” at her parents’ home in Berlin, which under her leadership became a significant cultural institution. There, she performed as a pianist and conductor, presenting her own works to an exclusive audience that later included such luminaries as Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann .
Her close relationship with Felix was characterized by mutual artistic respect , but also by tensions regarding their ambitions. For a long time, she either didn’t publish her compositions at all or did so under her brother’s name. Only late in life, encouraged by her husband, the painter Wilhelm Hensel, and after an inspiring trip to Italy, did she dare to step into the public eye. In 1846, she began having her works printed under her own name.
Her story, however, ended abruptly: In May 1847, she suffered a stroke during a music rehearsal and died at the age of 41. Her extensive oeuvre of over 460 compositions was subsequently forgotten for a long time and was only rediscovered as an important legacy of Romanticism from the 1970s onwards.
Chronological History
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s life was characterized by a constant tension between her extraordinary talent and the restrictive social expectations of the 19th century.
The story begins in November 1805 in Hamburg, where she was born as the eldest child of the Mendelssohn banking family. Her musical genius was recognized early on; her mother , Lea, described her fingers as ” Bachian fugue fingers ” shortly after her birth . In 1811, the family fled the French occupation to Berlin, where Fanny, along with her younger brother Felix, received a first-class education . A formative moment in her youth occurred in 1816 when she and her brother received music lessons in Paris, and shortly thereafter she became a student of the renowned Carl Friedrich Zelter in Berlin .
Her youth was marked by a rapid artistic development: in 1819, at just 13 years old, she impressed her father by playing all 24 preludes from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier from memory. However, even at this early stage, the course of her future was being set . In a famous letter from 1820, her father reminded her that while music would be a profession for Felix, for her it could only ever remain an ” adornment .” Despite this limitation, she began composing intensively in the following years; in 1822, she also met her future husband , the painter Wilhelm Hensel.
The 1820s and 1830s were a time of “private ” creative activity. From 1822 onward, her mother established the ” Sunday Music ” concerts , which Fanny later took over, making them one of Berlin’s most important cultural venues. Since she herself was not allowed to publish publicly, some of her songs appeared anonymously in 1827 and 1830 under her brother Felix’s name in his collections. After Wilhelm Hensel returned from a long trip to Italy in 1828 , the couple married in October 1829. A year later , in June 1830, their son Sebastian was born.
In the 1830s, she created important works such as the oratorio based on biblical scenes (1831) and her string quartet (1834). A decisive turning point was the family’s trip to Italy from 1839 to 1840. The artistic recognition she received there , including from the composer Charles Gounod, inspired her profoundly. After her return, she composed her famous piano cycle, The Year , in 1841 .
Only in 1846, encouraged by her husband and against the initial resistance of her brother, did she decide to officially publish her works under her own name. Her opus numbers 1 to 7 appeared in rapid succession. But this late triumph was short -lived: On May 14, 1847, Fanny Hensel suffered a stroke during a rehearsal for a performance of Felix ‘s First Walpurgis Night and died that same day in Berlin. Her brother survived her by only a few months.
Style(s), movement ( s) and period(s) of music
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was one of the central, albeit long misunderstood, figures of Romanticism. Her style is inextricably linked to the aesthetic current of German High Romanticism, which placed feeling , connection to nature, and the individual soul at the center of art .
The era and the current
Her music can be clearly categorized as Romantic, specifically within the tradition of the ” Leipzig School.” In contrast to the Baroque (characterized by strict polyphony ) or Classicism (which emphasized symmetry and clear form), Fanny strove for a subjective expression. Nevertheless, her upbringing was deeply rooted in Classicism. Through her teachers, she became so intimately acquainted with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that her style is often described as a bridge : she utilized the solid, almost architectural structures of the Baroque and Classical periods to unfold the highly emotional and often melancholic themes of Romanticism.
New or old? Traditional or innovative?
The question of whether her music was “ new” or “old ” cannot be answered in a single word, as Fanny maintained a masterful balance between tradition and innovation.
At first glance, her music appears traditional, as she employed classical genres such as the song, the piano piece, and the sonata. She was not a ” radical” in the sense of later composers like Richard Wagner or Franz Liszt, who sought to break with established forms. Instead, she worked within existing structures, but imbued them with a highly personal spirit .
Her innovation lay in the details, particularly in her harmony and the development of her ” Songs Without Words . ” She experimented with bold modulations and chromatic turns that were quite progressive for her time. Her piano cycle *Das Jahr* (The Year) is considered visionary today . It is an early example of program music — a work that not only plays abstract sounds but musically traces the course of the twelve months. In such works, she revealed herself as a composer who far transcended the boundaries of domestic music .
Moderate or radical.
Her style was generally rather moderate. She didn’t seek a radical break with the past, but rather the perfection of expressive power. While music history often celebrates the ” rebels ,” Fanny’s strength lay in lyrical density and compositional depth. Her music is highly complex and intellectually demanding, yet always remains committed to lyrical quality and a certain sonic beauty .
In summary , Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a Romantic with a classical foundation. Her music was modern for its time in its emotionality , but deeply respectful of tradition – a subtle development of what music could be, without abandoning sonic harmony.
Music genres
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s oeuvre comprises over 460 compositions and focuses primarily on the ” small forms ” that were particularly valued during the Romantic era . Her work can be divided into the following central genres:
Vocal music (songs and chants )
Song forms the heart of her work. She composed approximately 250 songs for voice and piano.
Solo songs: These are characterized by a close connection between text and music, with her often setting poems by contemporaries such as Goethe or Heine to music.
Choral music: A special genre is her Garden Songs (op. 3) – songs for soprano , alto, tenor and bass, which were often performed outdoors or as part of her Sunday music concerts a cappella .
Piano music (character pieces and sonatas)
Since Fanny herself was an excellent pianist, her oeuvre for piano is particularly extensive.
Songs without words: She significantly shaped this genre (which is often mistakenly attributed solely to her brother). These are lyrical piano pieces that transfer a vocal melody to the instrument .
Character pieces: Her most important work in this area is the cycle The Year (1841), which consists of 12 pieces , each describing a month.
Sonatas: She wrote several piano sonatas (e.g. in C minor and G minor) which are formally more complex and technically more demanding.
Chamber music
In chamber music, Fanny proved that she also mastered larger ensembles.
Piano Trio: Her Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 11, is considered one of her most mature instrumental works.
String quartet: She composed a remarkable string quartet in E-flat major (1834), which was unusual for female composers of her time , as this genre was considered a “royal discipline ” .
Other compositions: She also left behind a piano quartet (A-flat major) as well as pieces for cello and piano (such as the Fantasia or the Capriccio).
Larger ensembles and sacred works
Although she rarely wrote for large orchestras, there are exceptions that highlight her versatility:
Oratorios and cantatas: These include the oratorio based on images from the Bible, the Job cantata, and the Cholera cantata.
Orchestral works: Her Overture in C major is one of her few purely orchestral works.
In summary, it can be said that Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel perfected the song and the lyrical piano piece above all , but also set significant accents in chamber music and sacred music.
Characteristics of Music
The music of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel is characterized by a fascinating blend of intellectual rigor and highly emotional expressiveness. Her style is marked by a profound knowledge of music history, which she combined with the subjective sensibilities of the Romantic era.
Here are the key features of her compositional work:
Poetry and melody
Perhaps the most striking characteristic of her music is its cantabile quality ( singability). As one of the most important song composers of her time, she transferred the lyrical element of singing to the piano. Her melodies are often expansive, yearning, and possess a natural elegance . Even in technically demanding passages, the melodic line remains the driving force, which is particularly evident in her ” Songs Without Words.”
Harmonious boldness
While her brother Felix is often known for his classical clarity, Fanny displays a surprising experimentalism in harmony in her works . She frequently uses :
Chromatics: The incorporation of semitones to create tension and shading.
Modulations: She often switches to remote keys, which gives her music a restless, almost modern depth.
Dissonances: She uses these deliberately to express emotional states or pain , which gives her works a very personal touch.
Polyphony and Bach reference
Fanny’s music is constructed with the highest level of craftsmanship . Her early training with Zelter made her an expert in counterpoint . She often intertwined several independent melodies , giving her music a dense, almost architectural texture. This predilection for polyphony demonstrates her deep respect for Johann Sebastian Bach, whose influence is palpable in almost all of her works .
Rhythm and dynamics
Her piano works often feature an energetic, driving rhythm . She favors flowing sixteenth-note passages and complex accompaniment figures that lend the piano an orchestral sound. Her dynamics are rarely static; she makes extensive use of crescendo and decrescendo to create dramatic climaxes and sudden retreats into the private sphere .
Virtuosity without self-promotion
As an outstanding pianist, she wrote pieces that are technically extremely demanding. However, unlike many of her contemporaries, her virtuosity was never an end in itself or a showpiece. The technical difficulties were always placed in service of the musical expression. Her music challenges the performer both intellectually and technically, yet always remains substantial.
The “ feminine” and the “private ”
For a long time, her style was misunderstood as ” feminine and gentle.” However, modern research shows that her music often possesses enormous power, wildness, and determination (for example, in the Piano Trio in D minor). Her style reflects the atmosphere of Berlin salons: it is highly educated, intimate, and conversational , yet possesses an emotional force that extends far beyond the private sphere.
Effects and influences
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s influence is a story that has two phases: the immediate impact on her Berlin environment in the 19th century and the profound significance for music historiography and the women’s movement since the late 20th century.
Here are the key areas where she has had an impact and left her mark:
1. Center of Berlin culture (The Sunday Music Series)
Fanny was the driving force behind one of Berlin’s most important cultural institutions. In her home, she continued the tradition of Sunday musical performances.
Platform for innovation: She created a space where new compositions (her own and those of her brother) were tested in front of a high-profile audience of diplomats, scientists and artists such as Alexander von Humboldt or Franz Liszt .
Revival of old masters: Through her programs, she made a significant contribution to the rediscovery and appreciation of the work of JS Bach and Handel in the 19th century .
2. Influence on Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
The relationship between Fanny and Felix was an artistic symbiosis.
The “ other half ” of his talent: Felix called her his “Minerva ” and sent her almost every one of his scores for correction before publishing it . Her judgment was crucial for him .
Genre creation : The invention of ” songs without words” was a collaborative process. Fanny’s contributions to this genre massively influenced Felix ‘s own piano style.
Anonymous publications : Since some of her songs were published under his name, she helped shape the image of the “ Mendelssohn style”, without the world at the time knowing how much of it actually came from her (such as the famous song Italien).
3. Pioneer for female composers
publicly during her lifetime , her impact on the role of women in music today is monumental.
Breaking down barriers: Her decision in 1846 (shortly before her death) to have her works officially published against her brother’s wishes was an act of emancipation. She proved that a woman could master complex forms such as string quartets or oratorios at a professional level.
A symbolic figure in musicology: In the 1970s, she became a central figure in feminist music research. Her fate and her qualities led to a rewriting of music history in order to recognize the achievements of women.
4. Innovation in program music
With her piano cycle *Das Jahr* (12 character pieces for the months), she left behind a groundbreaking example of program music. She linked music with visual impressions ( her manuscripts were illustrated by her husband, Wilhelm Hensel) and personal travel memories. This cyclical structure influenced later composers who understood music as a narrative medium.
In summary, it can be said that during her lifetime, Fanny was the ” gray eminence” behind her brother’s success and a key networker of the Romantic era. Today, she is an artistic role model whose rediscovery has changed the understanding of the entire period .
Musical activities other than composing
Besides her work as a composer, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a central figure in Berlin’s musical life, acting as a performer, organizer, and artistic mentor . Her activities were hardly separable from composing, as she often conducted her own works herself .
The “ Sunday Music ” series : Organization and Management
Her most significant role outside of composition was that of organizer and director of the Sunday concerts. From 1831 onwards, she directed these private but high-caliber concerts herself in the garden hall of the Mendelssohn house .
Conductor: On these occasions, Fanny led her own choir and orchestra (often composed of professional musicians from the Royal Theatre ) . She was considered a brilliant conductor by her contemporaries and was one of the first women to publicly take up the baton.
Programmatic work: She compiled ambitious programs that went far beyond the then -common ” salon taste.” She conducted major works by Bach, Handel , Mozart, and Beethoven, thus making a significant contribution to the Berlin Bach Renaissance. World premieres of works by her brother Felix (such as the oratorio Paulus) also took place under her direction.
Pianistic virtuosity
Fanny was one of the most outstanding pianists of her era. Although she rarely performed in public concert halls due to social conventions , her playing was legendary in professional circles .
Reputation: Clara Schumann, herself a world- famous pianist, greatly appreciated Fanny’s playing and later compared other pianists to this high standard .
Public appearances: Among her rare public appearances was the performance of her brother’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor in 1838 at the Berlin Schauspielhaus.
Artistic mentor and correspondent
Fanny acted as her brother Felix’s closest artistic advisor . This ” correspondence in music ” was one of her most intensive musical activities .
Criticism and correction: Felix submitted almost every new score to her for review . Her judgment was so crucial to him that he often made no changes or published works without her approval .
Cultural mediation: During her trip to Italy (1839/40), she acted as a kind of musical ambassador. In Rome, she introduced young musicians like Charles Gounod to the music of Bach and Beethoven, thus influencing their artistic development .
Education and Heritage
In her private life, she was also active as a teacher and shaped the musical education of her son Sebastian as well as the atmosphere in her salon, which served as a “ private university ” for the exchange of ideas about music, art and philosophy.
In summary, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a complete musician who shaped Berlin’s cultural life as a conductor, pianist and intellectual mentor as much as through her music.
Activities besides music
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a woman of extensive education whose interests and talents extended far beyond music. She cultivated a lively intellectual and social life within the highly educated atmosphere of Berlin’s bourgeoisie .
Here are their main activities outside of music:
Salonnière and networker
Fanny was a gifted hostess. Her salon was not only a place for music , but an intellectual center of Berlin. She brought together people from a wide variety of disciplines. Her guests included naturalists like Alexander von Humboldt, poets like Heinrich Heine, philosophers like Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and sculptors like Christian Daniel Rauch. Fanny moderated these gatherings , corresponded with the leading minds of her time, and actively participated in debates about literature, politics, and science .
Literature and Languages
Fanny possessed a profound literary education. She read classics such as Goethe and Shakespeare in the original and, in addition to German, was fluent in French , English , Italian, and Latin. She used these language skills not only for her musical settings but also for an intensive engagement with world literature. She wrote witty letters and diaries , which are now considered important historical documents about life in the 19th century and reveal her sharp intellect and psychological insight .
Travel and educational research
a defining part of her life, particularly her grand tour of Italy (1839/40). This journey was far more than a vacation for her ; it was an educational journey in the classical sense. She studied the art treasures in Venice, Florence, and Rome, immersed herself in the architecture and history of these places, and recorded her impressions in detailed diaries . This journey represented a personal emancipation for her , as she was recognized there as an independent intellectual .
Art and Sketching
Through her marriage to the court painter Wilhelm Hensel, she was closely connected to the world of visual arts. She often accompanied her husband at work and developed her own eye for visual composition. While not a professional painter herself, she was a keen observer and worked closely with Wilhelm on combining music and visual arts – for example, in illustrating their musical manuscripts.
Education and family management
Despite her artistic ambitions, Fanny bore the responsibility of managing a large household. She devoted herself intensely to the upbringing of her son Sebastian, whom she had named after her favorite composer (Johann Sebastian Bach). She oversaw his education and ensured that he grew up in an environment that was both artistically and scientifically stimulating.
In summary , Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a polymath in her own right. Her life was a constant exchange between the arts and sciences, making her one of the most prominent female figures of German Romanticism.
As a player
When one considers Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel as a player – that is, as a performing pianist – one describes a woman who was technically on par with the greatest virtuosos of her time, but who almost exclusively performed her playing in private or semi – public settings.
The hidden virtuoso
Fanny was trained by the same teachers as her brother Felix. From an early age , she was considered the family’s piano prodigy. Her playing was characterized by phenomenal technique , which she never displayed merely as a showpiece. While contemporaries like Franz Liszt often “conquered” the piano and turned it into a spectacle, Fanny’s style was marked by profound intellectual penetration . She didn’t just play notes; she revealed the structure of the music.
Characteristics of her piano playing
The Bach tradition: Her playing was deeply rooted in the study of Johann Sebastian Bach. This gave her touch a clarity and precision that never sounded muddy, even in the most complex polyphonic passages (where several melodies are played simultaneously).
Strength and energy: Accounts from contemporaries often emphasize that Fanny played with surprising strength and determination. Her playing was by no means “sweet” or “delicate,” as was expected of a woman at the time, but fiery, energetic, and characterized by a strong rhythmic drive .
Cantabile: As a composer of hundreds of songs, she knew how to make the piano “sing.” She possessed the ability to highlight a melody so that it floated above the accompaniment — a technique that made her the ideal interpreter of her own wordless songs.
The “Sunday Music” series as their stage
Since her path to the world’s great concert stages was socially blocked, she created her own arena in the garden room of her parents’ house. As a performer in these Sunday concerts, she was:
Soloist: She played the most difficult works by Beethoven and Bach.
Ensemble musician: She was the heart of every chamber music ensemble.
Conductor from the piano: As was common at the time , she often conducted larger ensembles and choirs directly from the piano , which required the utmost concentration and overview.
Recognition by professional colleagues
The quality of her playing is best seen in the reactions of her colleagues. Clara Schumann, arguably the most famous pianist of the 19th century, heard Fanny play and was deeply impressed. Although Clara was considered critical, she recognized Fanny as an equal artist . Fanny was also the most important authority for Felix : he trusted her pianistic judgment implicitly and was often inspired by her playing when completing his own works.
A rare moment of public visibility came in 1838 when she performed her brother’s Piano Concerto No. 1 for a charitable cause. The reviews were euphoric, praising her sovereignty and the ” masculine ” power of her performance — a dubious compliment for the time, but one that underscored her extraordinary authority on the instrument.
Musical Family
The Mendelssohn family was one of the most extraordinary dynasties in German intellectual and cultural history. Music, philosophy, and banking merged here to create an environment that shaped Fanny and her siblings from birth .
Here is an overview of her closest musical relatives and ancestors:
The brother: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
The most important musical relationship in Fanny’s life was with her younger brother Felix (1809–1847 ) . The two were inseparable as children and received exactly the same education.
Artistic echo: They called each other their “Minerva” or “other half ” . Felix was a world star in music history, but he openly admitted that Fanny’s judgment was crucial for his compositions.
The ambivalence: Despite their close relationship, it was Felix who for years opposed Fanny publishing her works , fearing for her reputation as a ” respectable ” woman in society . Nevertheless, he published six of her songs under his own name so that they could at least be heard .
The parents: Abraham and Lea Mendelssohn
Lea Mendelssohn (née Salomon): Fanny’s mother was herself a highly gifted pianist and a pupil of a Bach student ( Kirnberger). She was the one who discovered and fostered her children’s talent . She gave Fanny her first piano lessons and laid the foundation for the Bach tradition in the family.
Abraham Mendelssohn: The banker and son of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn supported his children’s education financially and ideologically, but drew a strict line between “profession” (for Felix ) and “adornment” (for Fanny ). He coined the famous phrase that music should only be “accompaniment” to Fanny’s life .
The ancestors and the Bach tradition
Moses Mendelssohn: Fanny’s grandfather was the famous philosopher of the Enlightenment . Although he wasn’t a musician, his pursuit of education and emancipation laid the intellectual foundation for the family.
Bella Salomon (grandmother ) and Sara Levy (great-aunt): These women were crucial to Fanny ‘s musical DNA. Sara Levy was a gifted harpsichordist who had studied directly with the sons of J.S. Bach (Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel). She collected Bach manuscripts at a time when Bach was almost forgotten. Without these women, the famous Bach revival of the Mendelssohn siblings would probably never have happened.
The sister and the husband
Rebecka Mendelssohn: Fanny’s younger sister was also musically gifted and possessed a beautiful voice . She often sang in Fanny’s Sunday concerts and was an important part of the family ensemble .
Wilhelm Hensel: Fanny’s husband, although not a musician himself but a court painter, played a crucial musical role as a supporter . Unlike her father and brother, he urged Fanny to compose and eventually publish her works . He illustrated her sheet music (as in the cycle “Das Jahr”), thus creating a connection between image and sound.
Relationships with composers
Although Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s life was often geographically confined to Berlin , her family background and her famous ” Sunday concerts” placed her at the center of one of the densest musical networks of the 19th century. Her relationships with other composers ranged from deep admiration and collegial friendship to mutual influence.
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: The Symbiosis
Undoubtedly, his closest and most complex relationship was with her brother. They were each other’s primary and most important audience. Fanny was often the first to see his work, and she was not sparing with her criticism. Conversely, she significantly influenced his style. A famous example is the song ” Italy , ” which Fanny composed but which was published under Felix ‘s name . When Felix performed in London for Queen Victoria , and she declared the song her favorite , he had to sheepishly admit that it was actually his sister’s work.
Johann Sebastian Bach: The spiritual mentor
Although Bach had died 55 years before her birth, Fanny’s relationship to his work was almost personal . Through her teacher Carl Friedrich Zelter and her great-aunt Sara Levy, Fanny became an expert on Bach ‘s music. She ” corresponded” with his works by translating his polyphonic techniques into her own modern language . Without Fanny’s profound knowledge and her groundwork at the Sunday concerts, the famous revival of the St. Matthew Passion by her brother Felix in 1829 would hardly have been conceivable.
Charles Gounod: The Admirer in Rome
During her trip to Italy in 1839/40 , Fanny met the young French composer Charles Gounod in Rome , who had just won the Prix de Rome. Gounod was completely captivated by Fanny’s talent and knowledge. In his memoirs, he described her as a woman of ” rare gifts” and a “superior mind . ” It was Fanny who introduced Gounod to the German music of Bach and Beethoven, which profoundly influenced his own style. For Fanny , in turn, Gounod’s boundless admiration was a crucial impetus to take her own identity as a composer more seriously.
Clara and Robert Schumann: Respectful distance
The relationship with the Schumanns was characterized by mutual professional respect . Clara Schumann, herself a child prodigy and pianist who achieved worldwide fame, attended Fanny’s concerts in Berlin. Clara noted in her diary how much she admired Fanny’s masterful playing. Robert Schumann, on the other hand, had a rather ambivalent attitude towards female composers, but he valued Fanny ‘s songs and published positive reviews of the few works that appeared in print during her lifetime.
Franz Liszt: The Irritating Virtuoso
Franz Liszt, the epitome of the Romantic virtuoso, was a guest in Fanny’s salon. Their relationship was respectful, but Fanny was rather skeptical of his eccentric and often showy style . Nevertheless, Liszt greatly admired her skill at the piano. These encounters illustrate Fanny’s position: she was not a marginal figure, but an authority whose recognition even a world-renowned star like Liszt sought.
Ignaz Moscheles: The teacher and friend
The renowned composer and pianist Ignaz Moscheles was a close friend of the family and occasionally gave lessons to Fanny and Felix. Throughout his life, he considered Fanny one of the most gifted musicians of his time. Their correspondence testifies to a profound professional exchange on piano technique and composition.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was therefore by no means an isolated amateur. She was a key contact person for the musical elite. While men like Gounod or her brother Felix occupied the public stage , Fanny was often the one pulling the intellectual and aesthetic strings behind the scenes.
Relationship to Felix Mendelssohn
The relationship between Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn was one of the most intense, productive, and complex sibling relationships in music history. It was characterized by unconditional love, artistic dependence , and the painful limitations of the prevailing gender roles.
An artistic symbiosis
From childhood, the two were inseparable. They received exactly the same musical training, which was highly unusual for a girl at the beginning of the 19th century . This shared foundation created a kind of ” musical twin relationship . ” They developed a secret language in tones and called each other their “Minerva “—after the Roman goddess of wisdom.
Felix confessed throughout his life that Fanny was his most important critic. He sent her almost every score before publication and asked for her opinion. Without her “imprimatur, ” he often felt insecure. Fanny, in turn, lived out her own passion for composition through her brother, since the path to public recognition remained closed to her.
The dilemma of publication
This was the most painful point in their relationship. Felix was a global star and lived in the public eye . Although he admired Fanny’s talent, he shared his father’s view: a woman of her social standing should not pursue a professional career. He feared that publishing her work could jeopardize her social standing .
Nevertheless, a compromise was reached: Felix published some of Fanny’s songs (six in total) under his own name in his collections (Op. 8 and Op. 9). This led to the famous anecdote involving Queen Victoria : when she complimented him on the song “Italy” and sang it for him , Felix had to confess that the piece was actually by his sister.
The path to emancipation
In the 1840s, the balance of their relationship began to waver. Fanny, encouraged by her husband Wilhelm Hensel, felt an increasingly strong urge to publish her music under her own name. Felix initially reacted with silence or polite rejection.
It wasn’t until 1846 that this tradition was decisively broken: Fanny informed Felix that she had found a publisher. Felix finally gave up his resistance and wrote her a formal, almost cold letter in which he gave her his ” professional blessing.” It was a belated victory for Fanny , one she could only enjoy briefly.
Death and Aftermath
been . When Fanny died unexpectedly during a music rehearsal in May 1847 , Felix ‘s world collapsed . The loss of his ” other half ” plunged him into a deep depression from which he never recovered. In response, he composed his shattering String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80 – a requiem for Fanny . Just six months later , Felix also died, at the same age as her, likewise from a stroke.
In summary, Felix was Fanny’s bridge to the world, but also her cage keeper . Without each other, neither of them would have become the musicians they were.
Similar composers
When looking for composers who resemble Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel , one must consider two aspects : the musical aesthetics (style, harmony, form) and the biographical circumstances ( women in a male – dominated musical world).
Here are composers who are close to her in different ways:
1. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (The closest stylistic kinship)
No composer resembles her musically more than her brother Felix. Because they received the same training and corrected each other’s works, they share a common musical language.
Similarity : The preference for clear , classical forms filled with romantic feeling , as well as mastery in polyphony (Bach influence).
Difference: Fanny’s music is often considered harmonically bolder and more experimental, while Felix tended more towards formal perfection and elegance.
2. Clara Schumann (The contemporary partner in spirit)
Clara Schumann is probably the most obvious parallel when it comes to the role of women in Romanticism.
Similarity : Both were outstanding pianists who placed the piano at the center of their work. Like Fanny, Clara composed profound songs and sophisticated chamber music (e.g., her famous Piano Trio in G minor).
The difference: While Clara , as a traveling virtuoso, was in the public eye , Fanny worked in the private salon. Clara’s style is often somewhat austere and strongly influenced by Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
3. Robert Schumann (The Poetic Connection)
Fanny and Robert Schumann share similarities in the intensity of expression and love for the “character piece ” for piano.
Similarity : Both were masters at translating literary moods into music . Fanny’s cycle Das Jahr breathes the same spirit as Schumann’s cycles (Papillons or Carnaval). Their harmonies are often similarly restless and yearning.
4. Johannes Brahms (The Sense of Structure )
Although Brahms belonged to a later generation , there is a deep spiritual kinship in the way they both dealt with tradition.
Similarity : The deep reverence for J.S. Bach and Baroque forms. Like Fanny, Brahms used contrapuntal techniques not as mere exercise , but as a means of emotional intensity. Fanny’s late works , such as her Piano Trio, partly anticipate the dense texture and serious mood later found in Brahms’s music .
5. Louise Farrenc (The structural contemporary)
The Frenchwoman Louise Farrenc was a contemporary of Fanny who broke through similar barriers.
Similarity : Farrenc composed in the ” great ” genres such as symphonies and chamber music, which were not generally considered suitable for women at the time. Her style is also firmly rooted in Viennese Classicism, but expanded in a Romantic way – quite similar to Fanny’s compositional approach.
6. Gabriel Fauré ( The Lyric Descendant)
Although he was active much later , Fauré ‘s harmonious elegance and fine song artistry are reminiscent of Fanny’s best moments.
Similarity : The flowing piano accompaniments and the gift of making a melody seem almost endless without losing its tension. Fanny’s ” Songs Without Words” are spiritual ancestors of Fauré ‘s Barcarolles and Nocturnes.
In summary, it can be said: If you like Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel , you will find the greatest familiarity in the music of her brother Felix, emotional depth in Clara Schumann, and structural seriousness in Brahms.
Relationships
Since Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was rarely allowed to perform on the public concert stage , her direct professional contacts with musicians, soloists, and ensembles were concentrated within the framework of her Sunday concerts. Here, however, she acted as a highly professional director and partner, collaborating with the elite of the time.
1. Collaboration with professional orchestras
Although their concerts took place in the private garden hall, the performing musicians were often not amateurs.
Musicians of the Royal Theatre: For larger performances , such as the Cholera Cantata she conducted or works by her brother, Fanny engaged professional instrumentalists from Berlin orchestras. She acted as conductor, coordinating and directing these professionals – an absolute exception for a woman in the 1830s.
Orchestral discipline: Contemporaries reported that she had a very specific and authoritarian style of conducting. She was not a “hobby musician” but demanded the highest precision from the professional musicians .
2. Relationships with soloists and virtuosos
In her salon she received and accompanied some of the most important performers of her era:
Joseph Joachim: The then very young violin virtuoso performed in her salon. The connection to Joachim was close, as he later became one of Felix’s closest friends. Fanny recognized his extraordinary talent early on.
Therese Behr-Schnabel (and other singers ) : Fanny constantly collaborated with professional singers to perform her more than 250 songs . She acted not only as a composer, but also as a vocal coach and piano accompanist, possessing very precise ideas about phrasing and expression.
Cellists: Since she wrote important works for cello and piano (e.g. the Fantasia), she was in contact with cellists of the Berlin court orchestra, who worked on these demanding pieces together with her.
3. Conducting choirs
One of her most important areas of expertise was working with vocal ensembles.
The house choir: Fanny led a regular choir of about 20 to 30 singers who met at her home. She was not only the conductor, but also the vocal coach and musical director. She wrote her ” Garden Songs ” for this choir , which she rehearsed in the park of the estate.
The Sing-Akademie zu Berlin: Through her teacher Zelter, she was closely connected to this famous choir . Although she was not officially employed there, she used her contacts with the singers to secure top- class performers for her own productions .
4. Pedagogical contacts and students
Fanny also acted as a mentor within her circle. Although she didn’t teach publicly for money , she gave crucial impetus to talented musicians in her community. She coached musicians preparing for performances , imparting to them her profound understanding of the works of Bach and Beethoven.
5. Encounters with instrument makers
As a pianist of the highest caliber, Fanny had a direct connection to the development of the piano. She maintained contact with Berlin piano makers and meticulously ensured the quality of the grand pianos in her home, as these formed the core of her Sunday concerts. Her playing required instruments capable of conveying both the delicate lyricism of her songs and the orchestral power of her sonatas.
In summary , Fanny was an employer and artistic partner for the Berlin music scene . Professional musicians came to her because the artistic level of her “private” concerts was often higher than that of the official city programs .
Relationships with non-musicians
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s life was far more than just music; she was a central figure in Berlin’s high culture and maintained close ties with leading figures in science, art, philosophy, and politics. The intellectual giants of her time gathered in her salon , where she was not only a hostess but also a valued conversation partner .
Here are her most important relationships with non-musicians:
Wilhelm Hensel (husband and painter)
Her most important relationship outside of music was with her husband, the Berlin court painter Wilhelm Hensel. He was her most important patron and the one who most strongly supported her artistic self-confidence .
Artistic symbiosis: Unlike Fanny’s father and brother, Wilhelm fully recognized her genius. He encouraged her to compose and publish her works.
Collaboration: He illustrated her musical manuscripts (such as the cycle “The Year”) with delicate drawings and vignettes. The two had an equal marriage , in which they shared their progress in painting and music.
Alexander von Humboldt (naturalist)
The famous polymath was a regular guest in Fanny’s house and a close friend of the family.
Intellectual exchange: Fanny deeply admired Humboldt. She was one of the few people who followed his complex lectures on the physical description of the world (the later ” Cosmos ” lectures) with genuine understanding .
Scientific curiosity: Her letters and diaries reveal that Fanny had a great interest in his discoveries. He, in turn, valued her intelligence and the cultivated atmosphere of her salon, where he often discussed the latest scientific findings.
Karl August Varnhagen von Ense and Rahel Varnhagen
The Varnhagen couple ran one of Berlin’s most famous literary salons.
Literary connections: Fanny was in close contact with Rahel Varnhagen, one of the most important Jewish intellectuals of the era. Through her, Fanny was integrated into a network that advocated for emancipation and enlightenment . After Rahel’s death, Fanny remained connected to Karl August, an important chronicler of Berlin society.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (philosopher)
The most influential philosopher of his time was also a guest of the Mendelssohns.
Philosophical debates: Fanny experienced Hegel at Sunday music gatherings and during table conversations . Although she occasionally commented on his often complicated way of expressing himself with subtle humor in her letters, the Hegelian spirit of critical thinking and the search for the ” absolute” shaped the intellectual depth of her own worldview.
Heinrich Heine (poet)
During his time in Berlin, the young Heine was often a guest of the Mendelssohns.
From guest to lyricist: Fanny described Heine as a sharp- tongued but fascinating character. Although she sometimes found his personality difficult, she was deeply impressed by his poetry. She used his poems as models for many of her songs, thus creating a direct link between his poetry and her music.
The Family (Emancipation and Bourgeoisie)
Abraham Mendelssohn (father): Her relationship with him was characterized by respect, but also by the painful acceptance of his patriarchal limitations. He saw her primarily in the role of housewife and mother.
Moses Mendelssohn (grandfather): Although he died before her birth, his legacy of enlightenment and tolerance remained present in her life through his writings . She saw herself as the heir to his humanistic worldview.
In summary , Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a bridge – builder between disciplines. For scientists and philosophers, she was not merely ” the musician’s sister , ” but a highly educated woman who could precisely analyze and reflect on the aesthetic and intellectual currents of her time .
Important solo piano works
For Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, the piano was the most direct means of expression. As a virtuoso of the first rank, her solo works reflect the full range of her abilities – from intimate lyrical moments to technically highly demanding, almost orchestral structures.
Here are her most important solo piano works:
The year (1841)
This is undoubtedly her major work and a milestone of Romantic program music. The cycle consists of 12 character pieces , each dedicated to a month, as well as a concluding ” Postlude ” .
Meaning: It is a musical chronicle of her trip to Italy. Each piece captures a specific mood or event (e.g., the ringing of the bells in “March ” or the heat in “July ” ) .
A unique feature: The original manuscript was written on colored paper and illustrated by her husband, Wilhelm Hensel, as well as accompanying lines of poetry. It is an early example of a multimedia Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art).
Songs Without Words
Fanny, together with her brother Felix, further developed this genre. It consists of piano pieces that overlay a vocal melody onto an often lively accompaniment.
Style: Her Songs Without Words ( published in op. 2, op. 6 and op. 8, among others) are often more complex and harmonically daring than those of her brother. She experiments here with bold modulations and a very dense texture.
Well-known examples include the song in A-flat major (op. 2, no. 1) or the passionate piece in G minor (op. 6, no. 2).
Piano sonatas
Although the sonata genre receded somewhat into the background during the Romantic era in comparison to the character piece, Fanny left behind significant contributions that demonstrate her mastery of the large form.
Sonata in G minor (1843): A work of great dramatic power, almost like a symphony for the piano. Here she demonstrates her ability to develop themes over extended periods.
Sonata in C minor (1824): An early work still strongly influenced by Ludwig van Beethoven, but which already reveals her own passionate musical language .
Easter Sonata (1828)
This work has a particularly exciting history: It was considered lost for over 150 years and, after its rediscovery in 1970, was initially mistakenly attributed to her brother Felix.
Rediscovery: It wasn’t until 2010 that meticulous research could definitively prove Fanny was the composer. It is a large-scale, technically extremely difficult work that demonstrates Fanny’s brilliant mastery of fugue and counterpoint.
Four Songs for the Pianoforte (Op. 2)
This collection was one of the first works that Fanny published under her own name shortly before her death .
Character: The pieces demonstrate her maturity. The second piece in particular , often called ” Notturno ,” exemplifies her ability to perfectly capture nocturnal , yearning moods without words.
In summary , Fanny’s piano works perfectly embody the transition from classical form (sonata) to romantic mood pieces (Song Without Words, The Year) . Her music demands not only technical skill from the player, but also a deep understanding of lyrical phrasing .
Important chamber music
In chamber music, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel demonstrated her complete compositional mastery . While song and piano pieces were often dismissed as ” feminine” genres, in chamber music she ventured into the most demanding forms of music history, which at that time were considered the domain of male composers .
Here are her most important chamber music works:
Piano trio in D minor, op. 11 (1846/47)
This trio for piano , violin, and cello is undoubtedly her chamber music masterpiece. It was composed in the last year of her life and was only published posthumously .
characterized by enormous passion and dramatic force , easily comparable to the trios of Felix Mendelssohn or Robert Schumann. The first movement, in particular, is imbued with restless energy.
A special feature: The third movement is entitled ” Lied ” (Song) and is reminiscent of her famous piano pieces . Here she demonstrates how to integrate an intimate, lyrical theme into the framework of a large chamber music work. It is now considered one of the most important piano trios of the Romantic era.
String Quartet in E-flat major (1834)
The fact that Fanny wrote a string quartet was a small sensation for the time, as this genre was considered the “king discipline ” of composition and women were almost completely excluded from it.
Style: The quartet is formally very innovative. Instead of the classical four- movement structure, it begins with a very free, almost improvisational first movement.
Significance: For a long time, the work was underestimated , but today it is recognized as reflecting her profound engagement with Beethoven’s late string quartets. It proves that she masterfully commanded the complex interplay of four equally important string instruments.
Piano Quartet in A-flat major (1822)
This is an impressive early work , which she composed at the age of only 17.
Influence: The influences of her classical training are clearly audible here . It is clearly structured, elegant, and already demonstrates her virtuoso handling of the piano part, which leads the ensemble .
Significance: It is a testament to her early genius and shows that even as a teenager she was able to handle large-scale casts with confidence.
Adagio for Violin and Piano (1823)
This work is a wonderful example of her lyrical talent. It is not a technically overloaded showpiece , but a deeply felt dialogue between the two instruments. The violin here takes on the role of the human voice, entirely in keeping with the spirit of her songs.
Works for cello and piano
Fanny had a particular fondness for the deep, melancholic sound of the cello.
Fantasia in G minor: A one- movement , free work that fully exploits the sonic possibilities of the cello .
Capriccio in A-flat major: A lively, technically demanding piece that emphasizes the dialogic character between piano and cello.
In summary , Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel demonstrated her intellectual prowess in chamber music . Her works are not pleasing salon music, but complex, serious compositions possessing tremendous formal assurance and emotional depth. The Piano Trio in D minor, in particular, is now a staple of the concert repertoire of renowned ensembles.
Important Orchestral Works
Because Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel primarily composed for the private setting of salons and Sunday concerts, due to societal constraints , her catalog of purely orchestral works is small compared to her song and piano compositions. Nevertheless, the few surviving pieces demonstrate her absolute mastery of orchestration and large-scale orchestral forms .
Here are her most important orchestral works:
1. Ouvert ü re in C major (ca. 1832)
This is Fanny’s only purely instrumental work for a full orchestra.
Character: The overture is in the classical style, reminiscent in its freshness and elegance of Mozart or early Beethoven , but already exhibits the romantic coloring that was also typical of her brother Felix.
Structure: It begins with a slow, solemn introduction, followed by a lively, energetic main section (Allegro). The work demonstrates that Fanny was capable of thinking beyond the intricate structures of the song, in terms of large, orchestral arcs of tension.
2. Oratorio based on images from the Bible (1831)
This work, often simply called ” Music for the Dead of the Cholera Epidemic” or “Cholera Cantata “, is her most extensive composition for soloists , choir and orchestra.
Reason: It was created in response to the major cholera epidemic in Berlin.
Significance: The oratorio is a monumental testament to her compositional maturity. Fanny combines her love of Baroque polyphony (influenced by Bach) with the dramatic force of Romanticism. The choral passages and orchestral accompaniment, in particular, possess a seriousness and depth that far exceeded what was considered appropriate for women in music at the time.
3. “Job ” (Cantata) (1831)
Another important work for soloists , choir and orchestra.
Style: In this cantata, Fanny incorporates biblical texts. The orchestral instrumentation serves to sonically reinforce the emotional states of the biblical figure Job – from deep despair to faithful trust .
4. “ Hymn of Praise” (Cantata) (1831)
Not to be confused with the symphony-cantata of the same name by her brother Felix.
Content: Written on the occasion of her son Sebastian’s first birthday, this festive work for solo voices , choir, and orchestra showcases her ability to use orchestration for joyful , luminous occasions , often employing the orchestra as a colorful support for the vocals .
5. Hero and Leander (1832)
This is a dramatic scene for soprano and orchestra based on a text by Schiller.
A unique feature: Although formally a cantata for a solo voice, the orchestra is used here almost as in an operatic scene. The instrumentation vividly depicts the raging sea and the tragedy of the story. It is one of the works in which Fanny came closest to the genre of opera .
Summary of the orchestral work
Fanny’s orchestral works were almost all composed during a short, highly productive period around 1831/32. Since she had no opportunity to perform these works in public symphony concerts , they mostly remained confined to performances in her own “garden hall . ” Nevertheless, they demonstrate that her musical vision did not end at the piano, but encompassed the full sound of an orchestra.
Other Important Works
Apart from her instrumental works, the greatest treasure of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s oeuvre lies in her vocal music. Here, her special gift for transforming lyricism into sound is evident, encompassing a spectrum from intimate solo songs to monumental choral works.
Song composition for voice and piano
With over 250 songs, this is her most extensive body of work. Fanny is considered one of the most important song composers of the Romantic era. Her songs are characterized by a perfect balance between the vocal line and an often very demanding, narrative piano part. Particularly noteworthy are her settings of texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, and Joseph von Eichendorff. A well-known example is the song “Italien” (to a text by Grillparzer), which so authentically embodies the ” Mendelssohn style ” that even Queen Victoria mistook it for a work by her brother Felix. Another gem is the cycle “Six Songs for Voice with Piano Accompaniment” (Op. 1), the first work she officially published under her own name .
The Garden Songs (Op. 3)
This collection of six songs for four -part mixed choir (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) is one of her most charming works. They were originally intended for outdoor performance – in the expansive park of Mendelssohn ‘s estate. Pieces such as “Hörst du den Vogel singen” (Do You Hear the Bird Singing) and “Im Wald” ( In the Forest) perfectly capture the Romantic atmosphere of nature. These works are an early example of the secular choral song genre, which performs without instrumental accompaniment (a cappella) and creates an intimate, convivial atmosphere .
Sacred cantatas and choral works
In her sacred works, Fanny displays an impressive compositional rigor and depth, strongly influenced by her study of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach .
The “Job Cantata” (1831): Written for soloists , choir and orchestra (primarily to be considered here as a vocal work with accompaniment). It deals with the dramatic biblical story of the suffering Job.
The “Cholera Cantata” (1831): This work for soloists and eight-part choir was composed under the impression of the Berlin epidemic. It is a harrowing testament to lament and faith in God.
“Lobgesang” (1831): A festive cantata for solo voices and choir, which she composed to celebrate the first birthday of her son Sebastian.
Dramatic scenes
Fanny also ventured into dramatic, almost operatic forms. A significant example is “Hero and Leander” (1832). This is a dramatic scene for a solo voice (soprano) with accompaniment. Based on the ancient myth and a text by Friedrich Schiller, Fanny uses the human voice here as an instrument for extreme emotions – from yearning anticipation to tragic despair. It is one of the works that most clearly demonstrates her talent for the grand stage and musical theatre .
Duets and Trios
Besides solo songs, Fanny composed numerous works for two or three voices. These pieces were often intended for private performances or Sunday concerts and are distinguished by their artful vocal writing . They demonstrate how masterfully she could weave together the different timbres of human voices to create a harmonious whole.
Anecdotes & Interesting Facts
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s life was rich in remarkable moments that illustrate both her genius and the absurd obstacles of her time. Here are some of the most fascinating anecdotes and facts:
The “ false” compliment from Queen Victoria
This is probably the most famous story : During a visit to Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria sang the young Felix Mendelssohn his song “Italy,” which she loved above all else. However, Felix, red-faced, had to confess: ” That song is actually by my sister Fanny.” The Queen was impressed, but for Fanny it remained a bittersweet moment – her work was celebrated worldwide, but under her brother’s name.
The “ Bach Fugue Fingers ”
As early as her birth in 1805, her mother Lea, upon seeing the infant’s hands, is said to have exclaimed : ” The child has Bach ‘s fugue fingers!” It was an almost prophetic premonition, for Fanny did indeed become one of the greatest experts on the then almost forgotten music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
A marriage proposal requiring patience
When the painter Wilhelm Hensel asked for Fanny’s hand in marriage, her mother was initially skeptical and forbade the two any correspondence for five years while Wilhelm lived in Italy. Wilhelm, however, did not give up. He sent her drawings without text, and Fanny responded with music. This purely artistic long-distance relationship endured – they finally married in 1829. Wilhelm became Fanny’s greatest supporter , placing a blank sheet of music paper on the piano every morning so that she could immediately jot down her ideas.
The Riddle of the “ Easter Sonata ”
For over 150 years, the monumental piano work, the Easter Sonata, was attributed to Felix Mendelssohn. Musicologists admired the piece ‘s ” masculine power .” It wasn’t until 2010, with the discovery of Fanny’s original manuscript, that her authorship was definitively proven. This story vividly illustrates how often the quality of her music was attributed to her brother simply because such complexity was not considered possible for a woman .
The “Garden Hall ” as a world stage
Fanny’s house in Berlin, at Leipziger Straße 3, boasted a huge garden hall that could accommodate up to 300 guests . There, her famous “Sunday concerts” took place . It was the only place in Berlin where one could hear the music of Bach, Beethoven, and the latest works of the Mendelssohn siblings performed at the highest level . For Berlin ‘s elite , an invitation to Fanny’s was more important than attending the official court concerts.
The fateful day at the piano
Her death was as dramatic as her life was musical: On May 14, 1847, Fanny was conducting a rehearsal for a work by her brother. Midway through the performance of “The First Walpurgis Night,” her hands suddenly gave out . She briefly went into the next room to cool them in vinegar water and called out to her guests : ” It sounds wonderful , just keep playing!” Shortly afterward, she suffered a stroke and died that same evening — literally with music still in her ears.
Did you know? Fanny composed the cycle “The Year” on different colored paper during her trip to Italy: ” March “, for example, was written on blue paper, matching the spring sky .
(The writing of this article was assisted and carried out by Gemini, a Google Large Language Model (LLM). And it is only a reference document for discovering music that you do not yet know. The content of this article is not guaranteed to be completely accurate. Please verify the information with reliable sources.)