Women in Literature and Music

Fanny Mendelssohn

Born Fanny Cäcilie Mendelssohn on November 14, 1805, in Hamburg, Germany. Her parents came from a distinguished background; her father, Abraham Mendelssohn, was the son of the famous philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn and her mother, Lea Mendelssohn nee Salomon, was the daughter of business mogul, Daniel Itzig. Though both her parents were Jewish, the Mendelssohns didn't raise their children as Jewish, though they retained many of the values of liberal Judaism. Fanny was a gifted student, becoming versed in mathematics, science, geography, language & musical theory. She began learning piano under the guidance of her mother, who was a great lover of music.

Her younger brother, Felix was born in 1809, also learned piano and the siblings soon became inseparable. They spent countless hours playing, composing and studying music; both Fanny and Felix were recognized as child prodigies, with musical gifts far exceeding their years. The siblings were both taught by Carl Friedrich Zelter, who favored Fanny; even comparing her to the famed German composer, Johann Sebastien Bach. At the age of 13, Fanny preformed 24 Back preludes from memory, by the age of 19 she had composed 32 melodies. She was heavily influenced by her great-aunts, Fanny von Arnstein, a patron of a well-known salon & Sarah Levy, a gifted pianist.

Unfortunately, Fanny was prevented from pursuing her abilities to their full extent, due to the prejudices against women prevalent at the time, which also seem to have been held by her father. "Music will perhaps become (Felix's) profession, whilst for you it can and must only be an ornament," he said to her in a letter. Her brother Felix, was more supportive of her music career, though he frowned upon the idea of her publishing music under her own name. Once Felix moved away from home, he & Fanny continued corresponding via letters, filled with new compositional ideas. Felix became her window to the world, while she was his musical advisor, reading and critiquing his drafts. 6 of 24 of the songs Felix published in his early career, were really composed by his sister.

After several years of courtship, Fanny married painter, Wilhelm Hensel in 1829. The following year, she gave birth to her only child, Sebastian Ludwig Felix Hensel. Her husband encouraged her composing and soon enough, Fanny's compositions were being played alongside her brother's in the family's Berlin home. In 1838, Fanny made her only known public appearance, when she played her brother's Piano Concerto No.1. She played with the subdued elegance of those who play music with true passion. In 1846, Fanny finally published a collection of her own songs. Fanny's style was characterized by originality and the juxtapositions of opposing harmonies. Her pieces are considered technically challenging, which reflects her mastery of music and her great natural gift for composition.

In total Fanny composed some 466 pieces including 250 songs, 125 piano concertos & many instrumental chamber and choral music pieces. She also compiled several collections of piano solos and songs. A number of her songs were originally published under her brother's name in his Opus 8 & 9 collections. Unfortunately, only a small portion of her work was ever published and she nearly faded into the patchwork of history, until she was rediscovered more than century after her death. Her most famous work is a group of melodies, representing the months of the year, Das Jahr (The Year, 1841), which was illustrated by her husband, Wilhelm Hensel. The piece is a sort've musical diary composed during a family trip to Rome and is considered one of the greatest unrecognized piano suites of the 19th century.

Fanny Mendelssohn passed away from stroke complications on May 14, 1847, aged only 41. At the time of her death she was rehearsing an oratorio composed by Felix. Felix died just 6 months later in November 1847 and the pair were buried side-by side.

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/fanny-mendelssohn-hensel-387.php