Their grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn, was a well-known philosopher who tried to establish a basis for friendly coexistence between Jewish and Christian Germans. Hensel was the oldest of four children Felix Mendelssohn was four years younger, and the two were close from early childhood onward. The Mendelssohn family were well-off citizens of Hamburg, Germany, where Hensel was born, Fanny Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, on November 14, 1805. Although he worked to squash her career, Felix Mendelssohn was well aware of his sister's talent and often consulted her on musical matters. It was her brother Felix who steered her away from publishing her music, which would have led to wider renown her husband, painter Wilhelm Hensel, encouraged her work, and she began to publish some of her more than 500 compositions shortly before her sudden death at age 41. Hensel's musical career suffered because the middle-class German family in which she grew up held the typical belief that women should devote themselves to domesticity and child-rearing, pursuing creative work as a strictly limited hobby if at all. Most of her works were known only to her family and her immediate circle of acquaintances, but renewed interest in the music of women composers led to the rediscovery of her works and convinced many researchers and musicians that her talent was unique. On December 8, 2017, International Women’s Day, it was debuted in her name.Composer Fanny Hensel (1805–1847) lived for much of her life in the shadow of her more famous brother, Felix Mendelssohn. It was not until 2010 that is was script was re-examined and known that it was Fanny’s work. The manuscript was discovered in 1970 but was credited to her brother Felix. In 1828, Fanny Mendelssohn composed one of her major works, Easter sonata but was left unpublished in her lifetime. But do not imagine that I give these names when playing them in society, they are for home use entirely.” They will form a delightful souvenir, a kind of the second diary. On how she created Das Jahr, Fanny in stated in her letter that “I have been composing a good deal lately, and have called my piano pieces after the names of my favourite haunts, partly because they really came into my mind at these spots, partly because our pleasant excursions were in my mind while I was writing them. Some of her pianos works also included a cycle of pieces showing the months of the year, Das Jahr ("The Year").Įach of these pieces was matched with short poems. Most of her piano works were in the form of songs with the name Lied Ohne Worte (Song without Words). In 1820, he wrote to Fanny that, "Music will perhaps become his profession, while for you it can and must be only an ornament."įanny Mendelssohn throughout her career composed over 460 pieces of music including a piano trio and numerous books of solo piano pieces and songs. His father also shared that same views, and instead of being supportive, he was rather tolerant of her dreams of becoming an accomplished composer. It was at the time led by Carl Friedrich Zelter who became enthused with Fanny’s skills in the piano and therefore favored her over Felix.įanny Mendelssohn showed extraordinary musical skills, but this was somehow curtailed by the perception towards women at the time. Fanny Mendelssohn and his brother Felix joined the Sing-Akademiezu Berlin in 1820. He later received lessons under pianist Marie Bigot in Paris and eventually with Ludwig Berger. Fanny first received piano lessons from her mother, who had herself received Berliner-Bach tradition by Johann Kimberger.Īt age 13, Fanny Mendelssohn was able to play all the 24 Preludes of The Well-Tempered Clavier from Bach, which he played in honor of his her father during his birthday in 1818.
He was the eldest child of four including the composer Felix Mendelssohn. Early Lifeįanny Mendelssohn Hensel was born on November 14, 1805, in Hamburg to Jewish family Abraham Mendelssohn and Lea, née Salomon.
The pieces were accompanied by short poems. Among her piano works were, pieces depicting the month of the year called Das Jahr ("The Year"), written on colored sheets and illustrated by her husband, Wilhelm Hensel.
Most of his piano works were in the form of songs mostly with the name Lied ohne Worte (Song without Words). Some of her original songs were published under the name of his brother Felix Mendelssohn I his opus 8 and nine collections. Born on November 14, 1805, she composed over 460 pieces of music varying from the piano trio and several works of solo piano pieces and songs. Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a German pianist and composer.