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Fanny Cäcilie Mendelssohn Bartholdy (November 14, 1805–May 14, 1847), later Fanny Hensel, was a German pianist and composer, and was the sister of Felix Mendelssohn.
Life
Fanny was born in Hamburg, the eldest child of Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy (son of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn), and his wife Lea, née Salomon, a granddaughter of the entrepreneur Daniel Itzig. Fanny benefited from the same musical education and upbringing as her better known brother, sharing a number of his music tutors, including Zelter. Like Felix who was born in 1809, Fanny showed prodigious musical ability as a child and began to write music. Visitors to the Mendelssohn household in the early 1820s, including Ignaz Moscheles and Sir George Smart, were equally impressed by both siblings. However, she was limited by prevailing attitudes of the time against women, attitudes apparently shared by her father and brother, who were tolerant, rather than supportive, of her activities as a composer. Her father wrote to her in 1820 'Music will perhaps become his profession, while for you it can and must be only an ornament'.
In 1829, after a courtship of several years, she married the painter Wilhelm Hensel who was supportive of her composing. Subsequently, her works were often played alongside her brother's at the family home in Berlin in the very popular concerts which were held there.
Her public debut at the piano came in 1838, when she played her brother's Piano Concerto No. 1.
Fanny composed over 450 pieces of music, most of them in secret. Her compositions include a piano trio and several books of solo piano pieces and songs. A number of her songs were originally published under Felix's name in his opus 8 and 9 collections. One of these songs , 'Italy', was a favorite of Queen Victoria, who thought Felix had written it. Her piano works are often in the manner of songs, and carry the name Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words). This style of piano work was most successfully developed by Felix Mendelssohn, though some modern scholars believe Fanny may have preceded him in the genre.
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel died in Berlin in 1847 of complications from a stroke suffered while rehearsing one of her brother's oratorios, 'The First Walpurgis Night'. In recent years, her music has become better known thanks to concert performances and a number of CDs being released on labels such as Hyperion and CPO. Her reputation has also been advanced by those researching female musical creativity, of which she is one of the relatively few exemplars in the early 19th century.
External Links
Works (under construction)
This is a partial list of recordings in the WorldCat database.
1818· aus der chronika eines fahrenden schülers 1820· 3 songs: 1 némorin; 2 vous, qui loin d’une amante; 3 sérénade de cortez 1822· sonata mv (E) allegro assai moderato 1823· 3 songs. die schöne müllerin: 1 des müllers blumen; 2 der neugierige; 3 die liebe farbe 1823· adagio 1824· ave maria 1824· sonata (c): 1 allegro moderato e con espressione; 2 andante con moto; 3 finale. presto 1825· 3 songs: 1 das heimweh; 2 italien; 3 suleika und hatem 1825· harfners lied 1825• 6 songs: 1 schwanenlied; 2 wanderlied; 3 warum sind denn die rosen so blaß?; 4 maienlied; 5 morgenständchen; 6 gondellied 1825• 4 pieces: 1 (G) lied 1825• 6 {piano} pieces: 4 (B) 1825• 6 songs: 1 nachtwanderer; 2 erwin; 3 frühling; 4 du bist die ruh; 5 bitte; 6 dein ist mein herz 1825• 4 pieces: 1 (b); 3 (D–) 1825• 6 songs: 1 die ersehnte; 2 ferne; 3 der rosenkranz; 4 die frühen gräber; 5 der maiabend; 6 die mainacht 1825• 5 songs: 1 nach süden; 2 vorwurf; 3 abendbild; 4 im herbste; 5 bergeslust 1825• pastorella 1825• wanderers nachtlied 1826· nähe des geliebten 1827· die schiffende 1827· wenn ich mir in stiller seele 1828· 2 pieces: 1 (g) fantasia; 2 (A–) capriccio 1829· 6 songs: 1 lebewhol; 2 grüner frühling, süsse mailust; 3 nun ist’s nicht öd; 4 o sprich, wo blieb dein heit’rer sinn?; 5 im hochland bruder; 6 wiedersehen 1829· liederkreis: 1 lebewhol; 2 grüner frühlihg; 3 nun ist’s nicht öd; 4 o sprich; 5 im hochland, bruder; 6 weidersehn 1829· prélude (F) wedding processional 1829· prélude (G) wedding recessional 1830· 3 songs: 1 sehnsucht; 2 verlust; 3 die nonne 1830· overture (C) 1831· oratorio nach bildern der bibel 1834· 3 songs: 1 once o’er my dark and troubled life; 2 i wander through the wood and weep; 3 what means the lonely tear 1834· string quartet (E–): 1 adagio ma non troppo; 2 allegretto; 3 romanze; 4 allegro molto vivace 1835· wenn der frühling kommt mit den sonnenschein 1836· 3 duets: 1 märz; 2 april; 3 mai 1836· 3 songs: 1 there be none of beauty’s daughters; 2 bright be the place of thy soul!; 3 farewell! 1836· 4 pieces: 1 (B–) 1836· suleika 1837· 3 duets: 1 wenn ich in deine augen sehe; 2 aus meinen tränen sprießen; 3 im wunderschönen monat mai 1837· ach, die augen sind es wieder 1838· 4 pieces: 1 (B–) allegretto grazioso; 2 (f) allegro agitato; 3 (C) prestissimo; 4 (F) allegro con spirito 1838· fichtenbaum und palme 1838· ich wandelte unter den bäumen 1838· notturno (g) 1839· hausgarten 1839· sehnsucht 1840· cavatina 1841· das jahr: 1 januar; 2 februar; 3 märz; 4 april; 5 mai; 6 juni; 7 juli; 8 august; 9 september; 10 oktober; 11 november; 12 dezember; 13 nachspiel 1843· dämmrung senkte sich von oben 1843· faust: part 2: act 1: anmutige gegend: 1 ariel’s song; 2 serenade; 3 notturno; 4 mattutino; 5 reveille 1843· sonata (g): 1 allegro molto agitato; 2 scherzo; 3 adagio; 4 finale. presto 1844· traum 1846· 6 songs: 1 im wald; 2 lockung; 3 waldeinsam; 4 morgengruß; 5 komm; 6 o herbst 1846· 4 pieces: 1 (?); 2 (?); 3 (F+) o traum der jugend, o goldner stern. andante cantabile; 4 (a) il salterello romano. allegro molto 1846· abendlich 1846· ariel 1846· im herbst 1846· lust’ge vögel 1846· morgenwanderung 1846· schilflied 1846· schon kehren die vögel 1846· schöne fremde 1846· schweigend sinkt die nacht 1846· schweigt der menschen laute lust 1846· wer will mir wehren zu singen 1847· 6 pieces: 2 (c+) melodie 1847· piano trio (d): 1 allegro molto vivace; 2 andante espressivo; 3 lied. allegretto; 4 finale. allegretto moderato
Sources
Fanny's son Sebastian Hensel edited the family correspondence as 'The Mendelssohn Family 1729-1847' (tr. into English, 4th revised edition 1884) which still remains an important source of information about Fanny, Felix and their relatives.
Fanny's correspondence with Felix has been translated into English and edited by Marcia Citron; 'The letters of Fanny Hensel to Felix Mendelssohn'(New York, 1987).
R. Larry Todd's 'Mendelssohn - A Life in Music' (Oxford 2003) ISBN 0195110439 is the most recent comprehensive survey of Felix and contains much information about Fanny.
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