Fanny Hensel's "Songs for the Pianoforte" are generally more expansive, technically demanding, and formally structured than her brother Felix Mendelssohn's works.
Performer Biography
Matthias Kirschnereit, the pianist on this album, moved from Namibia back to Germany alone at age 14 to pursue his dream of becoming a concert pianist.
Composer Biography
Fanny Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn's sister, was told by her father that music could only be an 'adornment' for her, not a profession, despite her talent.
Composition History
Felix Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words" span two decades of his creative life, from 1828 until his death in 1847.
Recording & Production
This album is a co-production with Deutschlandfunk and Edel Germany GmbH, recorded in the Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal, Köln.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Felix Mendelssohn viewed his "Songs without Words" as unfiltered musical snapshots, largely leaving them untouched after their initial composition.
Critical Reception
Felix Mendelssohn was posthumously subjected to contempt, culminating in Richard Wagner's anti-Semitic tirades and ostracization by the Nazis.
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Mendelssohn: Songs without Words Vol.1 (Lieder ohne Worte)
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Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words
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Mendelssohn, Felix: Songs Without Words / Rondo Capriccioso
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Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Books 5-8
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Vol. 2
Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte
Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words)
