DOCSLIB.ORG

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: a Life of Music Within Domestic Limits by Eugene Gates

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: a Life of Music Within Domestic Limits by Eugene Gates Volume 5, Issue 2 The Kapralova Society Journal Fall 2007 A Journal of Women in Music Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: A Life of Music within Domestic Limits By Eugene Gates Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, the Mendelssohn (1777-1842), was a tal- elder sister of Felix Mendelssohn, was ented pianist and a good singer; she deemed by her contemporaries to be as spoke French and English fluently, musically gifted as Felix. She was not could read Homer in the original only a superb pianist, but also an ex- Greek,2 and was, by all accounts, a ceptionally fine composer. Fanny's charming and witty hostess. In an- compositional style is very similar to nouncing Fanny's birth to his that of her more famous brother. Her mother-in-law, Abraham wrote: "Lea more than 400 works include lieder, pi- says that the child has Bach-fugue fin- ano and organ pieces, chamber music, gers"3--a statement which proved to Special points of interest: cantatas, dramatic scenes, an oratorio be prophetic. and an orchestral overture. Despite her Before leaving Hamburg, • prolific creative output, however, few Abraham and Lea had two more chil- Fanny Mendelssohn’s 1 of her compositions were published, dren. Felix, their first son, was born story and, until very recently, historians have on February 3, 1809, and another limited her importance to the fact that daughter, Rebecca, was born on April her diaries and letters provide valuable 11, 1811. The Mendelssohn family Inside this issue: source material for biographical studies moved to Berlin the following year, of Felix Mendelssohn. This article dis- where Paul, their youngest child, was 4 Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: 1 cusses the life and creative achieve- born on October 30, 1813. All four A Life of Music within Do- ments of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Mendelssohn children were musical, mestic Limits and the forces that impeded her prog- but Fanny and Felix were extraordi- New publications 5, 11 ress as a composer: her relationship narily gifted. They were both child with her father and brother, her respon- prodigies. sibilities as wife and mother, her often Hoping to shield their young debilitating sense of isolation, and her family from religious discrimination ambivalence about her creative talent. in a less than tolerant society, Abra- Born in Hamburg on November ham and Lea had the children bap- 14, 1805, Fanny Mendelssohn was the tized at Berlin's New Church in eldest of four children. Her father, 1816. While on a trip to Frankfurt six Abraham Mendelssohn (1776-1835), years later, the parents themselves son of Jewish philosopher Moses Men- quietly underwent conversion to Prot- delssohn, was a cultured and wealthy estantism. To ensure that his progeny banker who was passionately interested would not be confused with their Jew- in music. Her mother, Lea Salomon ish relatives, Abraham changed the Page 2 The Kapralova Society Journal Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel family name from Mendelssohn to Mendelssohn Bar- only thirteen, she played by memory twenty-four tholdy, but he was never entirely successful at mak- preludes from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier as a ing the new name stick.5 surprise for her father.14 Abraham Mendelssohn has been aptly de- Both for the enrichment of their children's scribed as “the very model of the German paterfamil- education as well as for their own pleasure, Abraham ias, his home an absolute monarchy."6 He valued and Lea Mendelssohn set out to make their home the education above all else, and demanded almost unat- intellectual centre of Berlin. Their visitor's book read tainable standards of excellence from his children--a- like a "Who's Who" of early nineteenth-century cul- cademically, musically and morally, Like most fa- tural and intellectual leaders: Leopold Ranke, the his- thers and husbands of his time, Abraham believed un- torian; Jacob Grimm, collector of fairy tales; writer, conditionally that the only vocation for a respectable composer and critic E. T. A. Hoffmann; the poets young woman was that of a housewife. However, he Ludwig Tieck, Rahel Varnhagen and Heinrich Heine; did not see this as a reason to neglect the education of the philosopher Hegel--and so the list continues. his daughters; in his opinion, women should be Musician friends of the family included such lumi- taught to combine knowledge with charm.7 It was es- naries as violinist Eduard Rietz, and composers Fer- pecially important to both Abraham and Lea that dinand Hiller, Carl Maria von Weber, Ludwig Spohr, Fanny's great musical talent be thoroughly devel- Gasparo Spontini and Zelter.15 oped.8 Sometime around 1822, Abraham and Lea be- Fanny and Felix received their first piano in- gan to hold bi-weekly Sunday concerts in their home, struction from their mother, who had studied music the purpose being to provide their children with an with Johann Philipp Kirnberger, a pupil of appreciative audience for their musical endeav- J. S. Bach.9 Lea taught them together in several ours. All four children participated in these musi- five-minute sessions per day, gradually extending the cales: Fanny and Felix played the piano; Rebecca length of the lessons as her students' ability to con- sang and Paul played the cello. For each recital Lea centrate increased. For several years she supervised issued personal invitations to local musicians and every moment of their piano practice. When the other prominent people.16 Since, for the first few Mendelssohns lived for a short time in Paris, Fanny years, space was limited in the Mendelssohn resi- and Felix, then eleven and seven respectively, contin- dence, the audiences were small. However, in 1825, ued their piano lessons with Madame Marie Bigot, an Abraham purchased an enormous estate at Leipziger acquaintance of Haydn and Beethoven.10 Strasse 3, on the outskirts of Berlin. This property, Upon returning to Berlin, Abraham engaged which in later years became the Upper Chamber of the finest available tutors to guide the education of the Prussian Parliament, included the family man- his children. Thus, Fanny and Felix studied piano sion, a smaller garden-house, and about seven acres with Ludwig Berger, a pupil of Muzio Clementi and of beautifully landscaped parks and gardens.17 This John Field. For theory and composition they worked became the new locale of the Sunday musicales, with Carl Friedrich Zelter, a respected friend of which, under Fanny’s direction in the 1830s and Goethe, and director of the Berlin Singakademie.11 1840s, were destined to assume a major role in the Their rigorous academic education was supervised by musical life of Berlin. philologist Ludwig Heyse, father of the poet Paul Even before the move to Leipziger Strasse 3, Heyse.12 Schooling was taken very seriously in the invitations to the Sunday musicales were much Mendelssohn household. The children's lessons be- sought after by visiting musicians. It was at one of gan at 5 AM; only on Sundays were they permitted to these concerts in 1824 that Fanny and Felix met pian- sleep late, that is, until 6 AM.13 Fanny was blessed ist Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870), the most important with a phenomenal musical memory. In 1818, when touring virtuoso of the time. On first hearing them Volume 5, Issue 2 Page 3 A Life of Music within Domestic Limits play, Moscheles recorded the following in his diary: set it.26 She did, however, continue to set other po- ems of Goethe to music; in fact, she set more of his This is a family, the like of which I have texts than those of any other poet.27 never known. Felix Mendelssohn is Fanny herself met Goethe in the autumn of already a mature artist, and he is still only 1822, when she and her parents accompanied Felix fifteen! . His elder sister Fanny, also on his second visit to the poet. Recounting the immensely talented, played some of events of this visit, Lea wrote: “[Goethe] Bach’s fugues and passacaglias by heart was . very friendly and condescending to Fanny; and with admirable precision. I believe she had to play a good deal of Bach to him, and he she can justifiably be called ‘a good mu- was extremely pleased with those of his songs which sician.’18 she had composed.”28 Thereafter, Goethe maintained a keen interest in both Felix and Fanny, and was kept Zelter, who began to teach Fanny and Felix in informed of their musical progress through Zel- 1819, exerted a profound influence on their musical ter. In one of his letters to Felix, Goethe referred to development. Following his method, they worked Fanny as "your equally gifted sister,"29 high praise first from models, later progressing to exercises in indeed from a man who once said that "the very best counterpoint and figured bass.19 From Zelter, Fanny thing that a woman ever did can only be compared to received a thorough grounding in harmony, counter- the second-rate performance of a man."30 point, and composition;20 in short, she was given Because of their common musical pursuits, much the same musical education as her brother. On Fanny and Felix became very close as children, and October 1, 1820, both Fanny and Felix joined the Ber- remained so throughout their entire lives. From the lin Singakademie, where they sang alto in the cho- moment they began to compose, each sought and rus.21 valued the other's criticisms; their letters bear wit- Fanny's first known composition was a song, ness to the fact that this practice continued into their written as a birthday gift for her father on December adulthood. When they were children, their mother 11, 1819.22 Many other songs followed in rapid suc- was once heard to say: "They are really vain and cession.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Music at the Gardner Fall 2019
    ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM NON-PROFIT ORG. 25 EVANS WAY BOSTON MA 02115 U.S. POSTAGE PAID GARDNERMUSEUM.ORG PERMIT NO. 1 BOSTON MA JOHN SINGER SARGENT, EL JALEO (DETAIL), 1882 MUSIC AT THE GARDNER FALL 2019 COVER: PHOENIX ORCHESTRA FALL the Gardner at Music 2019 MEMBER CONCERT MUSIC AT THE GARDNER TICKET PRESALE: FALL 2019 JULY 24 – AUGUST 5 WEEKEND CONCERT SERIES / pg 2 The Gardner Museum’s signature series HELGA DAVIS GEORGE STEEL DANCE / pg 15 South Korean dance duo All Ready, 2019 Choreographers-in-Residence, FROM THE CURATOR OF MUSIC dazzles with a series of performances, including a world premiere The Gardner Museum is today much as it was in Isabella’s time — at once a collection of her treasures from around the world and a vibrant place where artists find inspiration and push forward in new creative directions. AT-A-GLANCE / pg 16 TICKET INFORMATION / inside back cover This fall’s programming embodies that spirit of inspiration and creative vitality. It’s a season of firsts — including the Calderwood Hall debut by Randall Goosby, a rising international star of the violin, and premieres of works by lesser-known composers Florence Price and José White Lafitte never before performed in Boston. 25 YEARS OF ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE This season also finds meaning through Isabella’s collection. Claremont Performances celebrating the Museum’s fall special Trio will help celebrate 25 years of our Artists-in-Residence program exhibition, which highlights our 25-year history with a selection of works distinctly connected to Isabella, and South of fostering relationships with contemporary artists Korean duo All Ready — 2019 Choreographers-in-Residence — will Monday, October 14, 10 am – 4 pm perform new works created especially for the Museum.
    [Show full text]
  • Moses Mendelssohn and the Jewish Historical Clock Disruptive Forces in Judaism of the 18Th Century by Chronologies of Rabbi Families
    Moses Mendelssohn and The Jewish Historical Clock Disruptive Forces in Judaism of the 18th Century by Chronologies of Rabbi Families To be given at the Conference of Jewish Genealogy in London 2001 By Michael Honey I have drawn nine diagrams by the method I call The Jewish Historical Clock. The genealogy of the Mendelssohn family is the tenth. I drew this specifically for this conference and talk. The diagram illustrates the intertwining of relationships of Rabbi families over the last 600 years. My own family genealogy is also illustrated. It is centred around the publishing of a Hebrew book 'Megale Amukot al Hatora' which was published in Lvov in 1795. The work of editing this book was done from a library in Brody of R. Efraim Zalman Margaliot. The book has ten testimonials and most of these Rabbis are shown with a green background for ease of identification. The Megale Amukot or Rabbi Nathan Nata Shpiro with his direct descendants in the 17th century are also highlighted with green backgrounds. The numbers shown in the yellow band are the estimated years when the individuals in that generation were born. For those who have not seen the diagrams of The Jewish Historical Clock before, let me briefly explain what they are. The Jewish Historical Clock is a system for drawing family trees ow e-drmanfly 1 I will describe to you the linkage of the Mendelssohn family branch to the network of orthodox rabbis. Moses Mendelssohn 1729-1786 was in his time the greatest Jewish philosopher. He was one of the first Jews to write in a modern language, German and thus opened the doors to Jewish emancipation so desired by the Jewish masses.
    [Show full text]
  • 660268-69 Bk Strauss EU
    MENDELSSOHN Choral Music Sechs Sprüche • Hear my prayer • Motets, Op. 39 Magnificat and Nunc dimittis • Ave Maria • Psalm 43 Peter Holder, Organ • St Albans Abbey Girls Choir Lay Clerks of St Albans Cathedral Choir • Tom Winpenny Felix Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) MENDELSSOHN Choral Music (1809-1847) Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg in 1809 into a marred by ill health, the result of over-work: distressed by Choral Music distinguished Jewish family. The grandson of philosopher the death of his sister Fanny a few months earlier, he died Moses Mendelssohn and the son of a banker, he was in November 1847. Sechs Sprüche, Op. 79 10:06 recognised as a prodigious pianist at a young age. The The significant output of smaller sacred choral works 1 I. Frohlocket, ihr Völker auf Erden 1:27 family moved to Berlin in 1811, later adopting the name is set against Mendelssohn’s towering achievements – 2 II. Herr Gott, du bist uns’re Zuflucht für und für 2:29 Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and being baptised into the the oratorios St Paul (1836) and Elijah (1846). The 3 III. Erhaben, o Herr, über alles Lob 1:34 Lutheran Church. influence of Palestrina prevails in the smaller works, 4 IV. Herr, gedenke nicht unser Übeltaten 1:21 Mendelssohn began composing around 1819 under inspired by Mendelssohn’s participation in the Berlin 5 V. Lasset uns frohlocken 1:35 the tutelage of Carl Friedrich Zelter, director of the Berlin Singakademie, and by his experience attending the Holy 6 VI. Um uns’rer Sünden willen 1:38 Singakademie. Zelter was a flagbearer for the Bach Week services in the Sistine Chapel in 1831.
    [Show full text]
  • The Seventh Season Being Mendelssohn CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL and INSTITUTE July 17–August 8, 2009 David Finckel and Wu Han, Artistic Directors
    The Seventh Season Being Mendelssohn CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL AND INSTITUTE July 17–August 8, 2009 David Finckel and Wu Han, Artistic Directors Music@Menlo Being Mendelssohn the seventh season july 17–august 8, 2009 david finckel and wu han, artistic directors Contents 3 A Message from the Artistic Directors 5 Welcome from the Executive Director 7 Being Mendelssohn: Program Information 8 Essay: “Mendelssohn and Us” by R. Larry Todd 10 Encounters I–IV 12 Concert Programs I–V 29 Mendelssohn String Quartet Cycle I–III 35 Carte Blanche Concerts I–III 46 Chamber Music Institute 48 Prelude Performances 54 Koret Young Performers Concerts 57 Open House 58 Café Conversations 59 Master Classes 60 Visual Arts and the Festival 61 Artist and Faculty Biographies 74 Glossary 76 Join Music@Menlo 80 Acknowledgments 81 Ticket and Performance Information 83 Music@Menlo LIVE 84 Festival Calendar Cover artwork: untitled, 2009, oil on card stock, 40 x 40 cm by Theo Noll. Inside (p. 60): paintings by Theo Noll. Images on pp. 1, 7, 9 (Mendelssohn portrait), 10 (Mendelssohn portrait), 12, 16, 19, 23, and 26 courtesy of Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz/Art Resource, NY. Images on pp. 10–11 (landscape) courtesy of Lebrecht Music and Arts; (insects, Mendelssohn on deathbed) courtesy of the Bridgeman Art Library. Photographs on pp. 30–31, Pacifica Quartet, courtesy of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Theo Noll (p. 60): Simone Geissler. Bruce Adolphe (p. 61), Orli Shaham (p. 66), Da-Hong Seetoo (p. 83): Christian Steiner. William Bennett (p. 62): Ralph Granich. Hasse Borup (p. 62): Mary Noble Ours.
    [Show full text]
  • Music in New Woman Fiction
    “SUCH GENIUS AS HERS”: MUSIC IN NEW WOMAN FICTION Maura Goodrich Dunst Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PhD Cardiff University March 2013 DECLARATION PAGE This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter- library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter- library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Academic Standards & Quality Committee. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… SUMMARY OF THESIS This thesis examines music and its relationship to gender and the related social commentary woven throughout New Woman writing, putting forth the New Woman musician figure for consideration. In contrast to the male-dominated world of Victorian music, New Woman fiction is rife with women who not only wish to pursue music, but are brilliantly talented musicians and composers themselves.
    [Show full text]
  • Preußische Bildnisse Des 19. Jahrhunderts
    November 1981 Monats Anze · ge Nr. 8 Viktorin Drassegg, der 1782 in 1815 endlich in Bregenz landete, Namen zu signieren. Das ausge­ Mähren geboren wurde, eine ziem­ wo er, um einer Bestrafung als stellte Instrument, das durch seine lich abenteuerliche militärische Deserteur zu entgehen, sich zu­ hübschen Zargen und seinen Bo­ Laufbahn durchmachte, in Italien in nächst Friedrich Grünwald nannte. den aus Vogelahorn auffällt, trägt französische Kriegsgefangenschaft Nach kurzer Zeit fing er an , seine das Datum 1833. geriet und nach vielen Umtrieben Instrumente mit seinem eigenen John Henry van der Meer Preußische Bildnisse des 19. Jahrhunderts Ausstellung im Germanischen Nationalmuseum vom 30. 10. 1981 bis 3. 1. 1982 Als einzigartiges Zeugnis preußi­ scher Geschichte im 19. Jahr­ hundert bewahrt die Berliner Natio­ nalgalerie die Porträtssammlung des Malers Wilhelm Hensel. Der zu seiner Zeit geschätzte Porträt- und Historienmaler hatte es sich zum Ziel gesetzt, mit den Bildnissen bedeutender Zeitgenossen zu­ gleich ein Porträt seiner Epoche zu schaffen. über 1000 Bleistiftzeich­ nungen, gesammelt in 46 Alben, fügten sich schließlich bei seinem Tod 1861 zu einem lebendigen und überaus facettenreichen Bild der historisch entscheidenden Jahre zwischen den Befreiungskriegen und der Reichsgründung. Die Ak­ teure dieses widerspruchsvollen und ereignisreichen Kapitels preußischer Geschichte, Vertreter der Politik und des Militärs, des Hofes und des Bürgertums, der Kunst und der Wissenschaft sind in dieser kunst- und kulturhistorisch reizvollen Sammlung vereint. Na­ men wie E.T.A. Hoffmann und Wilhelm Hensel, Bildnis E.T.A. Hoffmann Wilhelm 1., Heinrich Heine und Friedrich von Savigny, Hegel und Ranke kennzeichnen die histori­ sche und geistige Spannweite, die letzten Getreuen Friedrich Wil­ heitsideal, die Mode und die Ge­ der Künstler zu fassen vermochte.
    [Show full text]
  • “Müde Bin Ich, Geh' Zur Ruh”: the Story of a Children's Prayer
    REFLECTION “Müde bin ich, geh’ zur Ruh”: The Story of a Children’s Prayer Margaret Loewen Reimer The children’s prayer, Müde bin ich, geh’ zur Ruh, is dear to the heart of many Mennonites who grew up in German-speaking homes. A recent request for an English translation sent me on a quest to discover what was available. The translations I found were unsatisfactory, and so I resumed work on my own translation, which I had begun years ago. Meanwhile, I decided to trace the origins of this classic little prayer. The search uncovered a surprisingly rich story. Müde bin ich first appeared in a songbook for nursery school children compiled by Theodor Fliedner in Kaiserswerth, Germany in 1842.1 That is why the tune is sometimes identified as “Kaiserswerth” or “Fliedner.” It is likely that the melody is based on a popular folk tune, as are many familiar hymns. The words were written by Luise Hensel (1798-1876), a widely-read religious poet and hymn writer, and a woman who led a remarkable life.2 Hensel’s father was a Lutheran pastor in Brandenburg. Her brother, well- known painter Wilhelm Hensel, was married to Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of Felix. After the death of her father in 1809, Luise moved to Berlin with her mother. Here she captured the attention of several remarkable men. Romantic poet Clemens Brentano acknowledged her influence on his poetry and apparently shared with composer Ludwig Berger an unrequited love for Luise. Another poet, Wilhelm Müller, was also attracted to her. Today, Müller is remembered for his Waldhornisten poems, which Franz Schubert set to music in his song cycles Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise.
    [Show full text]
  • Bach's St. Matthew Passion
    “It was an actor and a Jew who restored this great Christian work to the people.” - Felix Mendelssohn Bach’s Great Passion: A Reintroduction In 1829, a young Jewish musician (already on the path to create his own compositional legacy) reintroduced Berlin to Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, the Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Evangelistam Matthæum, also known as the Matthäus-Passion, The Passion According to St. Matthew, or simply, The St. Matthew Passion. Ten years earlier, that musician - Felix Mendelssohn - began taking composition lessons from the director of the Berlin Singakademie, Carl Friedrich Zelter. Through this relationship, Mendelssohn would learn to love the music of Bach. Zelter himself had conducted quiet performances of a handful of the German master’s choral works at the Singakademie: a motet here, some cantata movements there. Even some of the choruses from the Passion were read at his rooms at the Singakademie. He was, however, of the opinion that these larger works were not suitable for public performance in their entirety. Still, running against the predominant tastes of the day, that Bach’s music was, according to one early 20th-century scholar, as “dry as a lesson in arithmetic,” the self-taught Zelter (he was a mason by trade), infused his love of Bach in his favorite student. In 1820, Mendelssohn joined the Singakademie as a choral singer and accompanist. His father, Abraham, had given a collection of Bach scores to its library and had been an earlier supporter of the Berlin musical institution. Earlier, Felix’s grand-aunt, Sarah Levy (who studied with J.
    [Show full text]
  • Mendelssohn Felix & Fanny Quatuor Ebene 2
    MENDELSSOHN FELIX & FANNY QUATUOR EBENE 2 Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, from a painting by R. Poetzelberger © Bettmann/CORBIS 3 Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847 QUATUOR EBENE String Quartet No. 2 Op. 13 in A minor Pierre Colombet en la mineur . a-Moll violin I (5-12), violin II (1-4) 1 i Adagio – Allegro vivace 7:54 Gabriel Le Magadure 2 ii Adagio non lento 7:43 3 iii Intermezzo: Allegretto con moto 5:10 violin I (1-4), violin II (5-12) 4 iv Presto 9:21 Mathieu Herzog viola Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel 1805-1847 Raphaël Merlin String Quartet in E flat major cello en mi bémol majeur . Es-Dur 5 i Adagio ma non troppo 4:30 6 ii Allegretto 3:37 7 iii Romanze 6:44 8 iv Allegro molto vivace 5:40 Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 6 Op. 80 in F minor en fa mineur . f-Moll 9 i Allegro vivace assai 7:36 10 ii Allegro assai 4:33 11 iii Adagio 8:26 12 iv Finale: Allegro molto 5:30 76:50 4 Following on from our Mozart recording last year, we wanted to pay FELIX AND FANNY MENDELSSOHN homage to the composer who was aptly described by his friend and Entwined strings and hearts admirer Schumann as ‘the Mozart of the nineteenth century’ and who, despite having enjoyed the adulation of audiences in his own time, is these ‘Farewell, don’t forget that you’re my right hand and the apple of my eye, days accorded a somewhat qualified admiration. The music of Felix and that without you, therefore, music has no meaning for me’, Fanny Mendelssohn expresses both joy and defiance, is capable of moving wrote to Felix, her beloved younger brother, who she used to refer to as ‘my listeners to tears, and has a romantic ardour that ranges from a kind of little Hamlet’.
    [Show full text]
  • Fanny Mendelssohn
    The Akron Symphony Meet the Composer - Fanny Mendelssohn Born: November 14, 1805 Died: May 14, 1847 Fanny Mendelssohn was a German pianist and composer and the older sister of the well-known composer, Felix Mendelssohn. The two siblings were very close. She received a quality musical education, first taking piano les- sons from her mother and later studying piano and composition with other teachers. Due to social conventions of the time re- garding the roles of women, some of her compositions were published under her brother’s name. Fanny’s works were often played alongside those of her brother on the family’s Sunday concert series. In 1829, Fanny married Wilhelm Hensel. Her husband was sup- portive and encouraging of her musical work. Before her death Fanny Mendelssohn she composed more than 460 pieces of music, mostly songs and piano pieces. In 1846, a collection of her songs was published. Since the 1980s her works have become better known through performances and recordings. In May 2018, the Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn Museum was opened in Hamburg, Germany. The Piano The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy around 1700. There were several innovations to the instrument during the 1800s. These include a cast iron frame and the use of aliquot strings (unstruck strings that reinforce the tone). These innovations gave the instrument a more powerful sound. During this time the family piano played a similar role to that of the radio in the 19th century. The family would frequently gather around the instrument for an enjoyable musical evening. Timeline 1805 - Fanny Mendelssohn is born in Hamburg, Germany 1807 – Lord Nelson defeats the combined French and Spanish fleets in the Battle of Trafalgar 1809 – Mary Kies becomes the first woman in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of Exoticism in Fanny Hensel's Lieder Xi Zhang Advisor
    To the South! A Study of Exoticism in Fanny Hensel‘s Lieder Xi Zhang Advisor: Claire Fontijn, Music April 2015 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Prerequisite for Honors in Music 2015 © 2015 Xi Zhang 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS When I undertook this thesis, I was not yet aware how involved a process it would be and how many people would help me through this journey. First and foremost is my advisor, Claire Fontijn. I am eternally grateful to her fortitude through my constant stream of drafts. Her valuable guidance and feedback has always helped to steer me in the right direction whenever I faced challenges in my research or writing. Even after almost a year of weekly early morning meetings, I still look forward to hearing her thoughts and ideas. Not only has she helped me through my thesis, but she has helped me become a better writer and musician through research and analysis. Thank you to my voice instructor, Marion Dry. She has been endlessly patient though the three years that I‘ve worked with her. Her instruction and support have helped me appreciate music and singing to a new depth. During our lessons, I have developed a better understanding of Fanny Hensel both as a person and as a performer. I am a better musician thanks to Marion. I would like to thank the other members of my thesis committee: Gurminder Bhogal, Charles Fisk, Simon Grote, and Anjeana Hans. They have all been so generous with their time and happy to share their thoughts on my research and writing.
    [Show full text]
  • The Royal Mail
    THE EO YAL MAIL ITS CURIOSITIES AND ROMANCE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE GENERAL POST-OFFICE, EDINBURGH SECOND EDITION WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXV All Rights reserved NOTE. It is of melancholy interest that Mr Fawcett's death occurred within a month from the date on which he accepted the following Dedication, and before the issue of the Work. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENEY FAWCETT, M. P. HER MAJESTY'S POSTMASTER-GENERAL, THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE, BY PERMISSION, RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. PEEFACE TO SECOND EDITION. favour with which 'The Eoyal Mail' has THEbeen received by the public, as evinced by the rapid sale of the first issue, has induced the Author to arrange for the publication of a second edition. edition revised This has been and slightly enlarged ; the new matter consisting of two additional illus- " trations, contributions to the chapters on Mail " " Packets," How Letters are Lost," and Singular Coincidences," and a fresh chapter on the subject of Postmasters. The Author ventures to hope that the generous appreciation which has been accorded to the first edition may be extended to the work in its revised form. EDINBURGH, June 1885. INTRODUCTION. all institutions of modern times, there is, - OF perhaps, none so pre eminently a people's institution as is the Post-office. Not only does it carry letters and newspapers everywhere, both within and without the kingdom, but it is the transmitter of messages by telegraph, a vast banker for the savings of the working classes, an insurer of lives, a carrier of parcels, and a distributor of various kinds of Government licences.
    [Show full text]