A Study in Contrasts

Fanny Mendelssohn and her brother, Felix Mendelssohn

As I continue my study of Fanny Mendelssohn and her work Das Jahr, I find myself just as interested in who she was as a person, and how her life and work compared to that of her more celebrated brother, Felix. Looking at their lives as composers is a real study in contrasts. 

Unlike her brother, Fanny was not encouraged to compose beyond a certain limited point.  Despite her great talent and excellent musical education in Berlin, when she was fourteen years old her father told her that as a woman she could only expect for her music to be an ornament to her domestic life, thereby limiting any dreams or hopes of celebrity she might have had.

By contrast, Felix did not find similar limitations imposed on him, resulting in his rising to fame and becoming the equivalent of a modern-day international superstar as the conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, founder of the Leipzig Conservatory, and even a favorite of Queen Victoria.

Over the course of the next few posts I am going to be sharing more about Fanny, her life, and her artistic journey, all of which not only make for fascinating reading, but also provide interesting and helpful insights into how best to interpret her music.

Tap an icon below to share this blog on social media, email, or your favorite messaging app.