This
week we are looking at Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, the lesser-known but equally
talented sister to Felix Mendelssohn. Fanny has over 400 compositions to her
credit, many of them written for small-group settings and ideal for the salon performances in her home. Because she never really received the opportunity to
perform publicly or publish during her lifetime, Fanny’s work did not gain a
full appreciation until the late twentieth century when she was re-discovered.
Her
Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 11 is a beautiful work composed in 1846 for her
sister Rebecka’s birthday. It was not published until 1850. This piece shows
Fanny’s skill and understanding of the piano, violin, and cello. She writes in
an expressive manner, developing ideas and creating a conversation between the three
instruments as they alternate taking the lead. You can listen to Fanny’s lovely
piece below:
Join
me next time as we look at another musically-gifted woman of the nineteenth
century, Clara Wieck Schumann.
