Felix Mendelssohn & Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel: Complete Works for Cello & Piano

Featuring

Joël Marosi
Esther Walker
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Fanny Hensel

Did you know?

1/7

Critical Reception

Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel's compositions, numbering around 500, were largely discovered in private collections and have yet to be properly cataloged and studied.

Historical Context

Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Felix's older sister, was expected to focus on domestic duties rather than music, reflecting the societal views of her time regarding women's roles.

Composition History

Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel's two pieces on this album, the Sonata o Fantasia in G minor and Capriccio in A flat major, were also written for her brother Paul.

Composer Biography

Paul Mendelssohn, the youngest of the Mendelssohn siblings, was an excellent amateur cellist, and most of the works on this album are owed to his prowess as a private performer.

Recording & Production

The album was recorded at the Théâtre populaire romand, Salle de musique, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, a venue inaugurated in 1955 and known for its extraordinary acoustics.

Composition History

Felix Mendelssohn's Variations concertantes, Op. 17, was dedicated to his brother Paul, the only time Felix honored a family member in this way, and was first performed by the brothers.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Abraham Mendelssohn, father of Felix and Fanny, believed one musician in the family was enough and only fully supported Felix's genius after consulting with Cherubini.