Compositional Influences

Hensel was familiar with a wide range of contemporary and historical music (see no. 218); therefore, teasing out all of the compositional influences on her would be a monumental task. Consensus is emerging in the scholarship, however, that three of the largest influences on her were J. S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and her brother Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. In addition, recent scholarship has demonstrated that the influence between Hensel and her brother was two-sided; each influenced the other’s composing in manifold ways. These studies explore those connections and influences.

410. Bartsch, Cornelia. “Fanny Hensels einziges Streichquartett—ein Problemfall? Fanny Hensels Streichquartett zwischen Zuweisungen und Aneignung.” In Etablierte Wissenschaft und feministische Theorie im Dialog, edited by Claudia von Braunmühl, 135–158. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, 2003. ISBN: 3830503466

See no. 392.

411. Bartsch, Cornelia. “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys Lieder (mit und) ohne Worte im Dialog.” In Mendelssohn-Interpretationen: Der unbekannte Mendelssohn—das Liedschaffen, edited by Dominik Sackmann, 101–123. Zürcher Musikstudien 2. Bern: Peter Lang, 2011. ISBN: 9783034306010

Bartsch examines several works by Felix and Fanny, arguing that far from demonstrating epigonism (on Fanny’s part), these works instead indicate that brother and sister were in a long-standing musical dialogue that generated new work. Bartsch explores these relationships in Hensel’s lieder and her piano works. The essay ends with commentary on the musical “riddle” that Fanny posed to Felix in a letter from October 28, 1821, on a lied by Franz Xavier Mozart.

412. Bartsch, Cornelia. “Geburtstagslieder von Fanny und Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Reflexionen über das Schreiben.” In Musik und Biographie: Festschrift für Rainer Cadenbach, edited by Cordula Heymann-Wentzel and Johannes Laas, 73–81. Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2004. ISBN: 3-8260-2804-X

Discusses the musical dialogue that took place between Felix and Fanny through musical compositions, and relates it to Felix’s concept of public vs. private music. Bartsch notes several works that Fanny and Felix wrote that have close musical relationships, including lieder as well as works in other genres.

413. Bartsch, Cornelia. “Lebewohl: Fanny Hensels Auseinandersetzung mit Beethovens späten Werken.” In Der “männliche” und der “weibliche” Beethoven, edited by Cornelia Bartsch, Beatrix Borchard, and Rainer Cadenbach, 295–330. Veröffentlichungen des Beethoven-Hauses in Bonn, 4. Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 2003. ISBN: 3881880801

In this wide-ranging article, Bartsch posits the genre of the string quartet, especially Beethoven’s late string quartets, as central in the nineteenth-century shift of musical culture from a corporeal, performed practice to a listened-to and read (in a printed score) practice. Bartsch draws parallels between the gender-based genre restrictions experienced by women in literature in the early nineteenth century (in which women were seen as suitable objects of literary productions, and teachers of language to the next generation [i.e. their children], but not creative producers themselves), and genre restrictions encountered by female composers. Bartsch discusses the Mendelssohn siblings’ receptions of Beethoven’s late works, especially the string quartets, as well as Felix’s differentiation of public and private spheres of music. Fanny’s song cycle “An Felix während seiner Abweisenheit in England” is explored as interweaving a range of references that can be traced back to Felix’s String Quartet op. 13, and thus to Beethoven’s String Quartet op. 132, as well as Felix’s piano works that refer to Beethoven’s piano works. Bartsch also argues that Fanny’s song cycle refers to Beethoven’s cycle An die ferne Geliebte as well as his piano sonata op. 81a (“Les Adieux”).

414. Borchard, Beatrix. “Einschreiben in eine männliche Genealogie? Überlegungen zur Bach-Rezeption Fanny Hensels.” In “Zu groß, zu unerreichbar”: Bach-Rezeption im Zeitalter Mendelssohns und Schumanns, edited by Anselm Hartinger, Christoph Wolff, and Peter Wollny, 59–76. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2007.

Borchard explores Hensel’s relationship to J. S. Bach over the course of her musical career, both in her performance of Bach’s works and in her incorporation of Bachian elements into her compositions. Fanny engaged with Bach’s music at a young age, first through piano lessons with her mother Lea and then through composition lessons with Zelter. Bach’s keyboard works and cantatas were part of the repertoire of the Sonntagsmusiken; in this way, Fanny brought Bach’s works to a wider audience in Berlin. Borchard then explores the Bachian elements in Fanny’s compositions, especially her cantata Lobgesang and piano cycle Das Jahr.

415. Cadenbach, Rainer. “‘Die weichliche Schreibart’, ‘Beethovens letzte Jahre’ und ‘ein gewisses Lebensprinzip’: Perspektiven auf Fanny Hensels spätes Streichquartett (1834).” In Fanny Hensel geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Komponieren zwischen Geselligkeitsideal und romantischer Musikästhetik, edited by Beatrix Borchard and Monika Schwarz-Danuser, 141–164. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler Verlag, 1999. ISBN: 978-3-476-45204-7

See no. 393.

416. Cai, Camilla. “Fanny Hensel’s ‘Songs for Pianoforte’ of 1836–37: Stylistic Interaction with Felix Mendelssohn.” Journal of Musicological Research 14, no. 1–2 (1994): 55–76. ISSN: 0141-1896

See no. 352.

417. Cai, Camilla. “Texture and Gender: New Prisms for Understanding Hensel’s and Mendelssohn’s Piano Pieces.” In Nineteenth-Century Piano Music: Essays in Performance and Analysis, 53–93. New York: Garland, 1997. ISBN: 0-8153-1502-3

Cai explores the handling of texture in similar piano works by Fanny and Felix, demonstrating that even when the siblings composed works that were similar in key, length, tempo, and form, their handling of texture was distinct, particularly with regard to the construction of inner voice(s), melodic phrasing, and linearity, and how texture relates to form. Cai argues that some of the differences in the use of texture can be related to the differences in gender and role expectations.

418. Citron, Marcia J. “Felix Mendelssohn’s Influence on Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel as a Professional Composer.” Current Musicology, no. 37/38 (1984): 9–17. ISSN: 0011-3735

Citron compares the family life and encouragement experienced by Felix and Fanny to show how that led to Felix becoming a professional composer and Fanny not. This first points to Abraham for his encouragement of Felix’s professional development and his active (and well-documented) discouragement of Fanny’s ambitions. Paints a portrait of Fanny as emotionally dependent on Felix, and Felix as encouraging Fanny to compose but not to publish. Citron detects a “bitterness” creeping into Fanny’s letters to Felix at the end of her life, when she began publishing.

419. Dießner, Petra. “ . . . diese Sachen muß man oft spielen”: das Bach-Bild von Fanny Hensel und Clara Schumann—Sonderausstellung im Schumann-Haus vom 30. Oktober bis 31. Dezember 2005 in Leipzig. Leipzig: Bach-Archiv, 2005. 40 pp.

420. Elvers, Rudolf. “Bach im Briefwechsel der Mendelssohns: Eine Spurensuche.” In “Zu groß, zu unerreichbar”: Bach-Rezeption im Zeitalter Mendelssohns und Schumanns, edited by Anselm Hartinger, Christoph Wolff, and Peter Wollny, 407–414. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2007.

Elvers traces references to J. S. Bach and his music in letters from the Mendelssohn family, starting with the famous 1805 letter in which Lea Mendelssohn describes her new baby (i.e. Fanny) as having “Bach-fugue fingers.” Other than an additional reference to Fanny’s memorization of Bach’s twenty-four preludes from The Well-Tempered Clavier, there is little new information about Fanny’s relationship to Bach, but Elvers demonstrates the extent to which awareness of Bach permeated Mendelssohn family life.

421. Fladt, Ellinore. “Das problematische Vorbild: Zur Rezeption des ‘vokalen Bach’ in der Kantate Hiob.” In Fanny Hensel geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Komponieren zwischen Geselligkeitsideal und romantischer Musikästhetik, edited by Beatrix Borchard and Monika Schwarz-Danuser, 223–234. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler Verlag, 1999. ISBN: 978-3-476-45204-7

See no. 297.

422. Fontaine, Susanne. “Bach, das Gegenbild.” In Fanny Hensel geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Komponieren zwischen Geselligkeitsideal und romantischer Musikästhetik, edited by Beatrix Borchard and Monika Schwarz-Danuser, 209–215. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler Verlag, 1999. ISBN: 978-3-476-45204-7

Fontaine discusses how both Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy performed and to some degree promoted Bach’s music outside Germany, then turns to the matter of Bachian elements in Hensel’s compositions. Fontaine finds elements from Bach used as consciously historical quotations in more “modern” (generally secular) works, such as “März” from Das Jahr. There is a greater use of Bach’s style characteristics (although in no way straightforward imitation) in her sacred works.

423. Fontijn, Claire. “Bach-Rezeption und Lutherischer Choral in der Music von Fanny Hensel und Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.” In “Zu groß, zu unerreichbar”: Bach-Rezeption im Zeitalter Mendelssohns und Schumanns, edited by Anselm Hartinger, Christoph Wolff, and Peter Wollny, 255–277. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2007. ISBN: 9783765103865

Fontijn suggests a relationship between the Mendelssohn and Salomon families’ long history of Bach collection and cultivation and the function of Lutheran chorales in Felix’s and Fanny’s compositions. She compares the use of chorales in Felix’s Sinfonia VI (1821–1822) with Fanny’s use of chorales in Das Jahr (1841), and discusses the vignettes and epigrams found in the fair copy manuscript.

424. Hinrichsen, Hans-Joachim. “Choralidiom und Kunstreligion: Fanny Hensels Bach.” In Fanny Hensel geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Komponieren zwischen Geselligkeitsideal und romantischer Musikästhetik, edited by Beatrix Borchard and Monika Schwarz-Danuser, 216–222. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler, 1999. ISBN: 978-3-476-45204-7

Fanny Hensel, like her brother, was deeply influenced by Bach’s music, although the influence manifests less as a matter of borrowed technique and more as similar modes of articulation and uniting the content. Hinrichsen looks at the Lobgesang, the Choleramusik, and the piano cycle Das Jahr, with particular attention to the use of Bachian chorales.

425. Hobe, Bernd, and Gesine Schröder. “Flüchtig und Finster: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys Lieder und Duette ohne Opuszahlen.” Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig, 2013. https://d-nb.info/1055992618/34" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://d-nb.info/1055992618/34

A section on Felix and Fanny’s lied settings on parallel texts is found on pp. 12–14.

426. Huber, Annegret. “Anmerkungen zu ‘Schreibart’ und ‘Lebensprinzip’ einiger Sonatenhauptsätze von Fanny Hensel.” In Fanny Hensel, geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Das Werk, edited by Martina Helmig, 93–104. München: edition text+kritik, 1997. ISBN: 3-88377-574-6

See no. 271.

427. Klassen, Janina. “Fugenfinger und reine Kunst: Hintergründe der Bach-Rezeption Fanny Hensels.” In Fanny Hensel geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Komponieren zwischen Geselligkeitsideal und romantischer Musikästhetik, edited by Beatrix Borchard and Monika Schwarz-Danuser, 203–208. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler Verlag, 1999. ISBN: 978-3-476-45204-7

Fanny Mendelssohn Bartholdy was deeply influenced by Bach from a young age; she pasted a picture of Bach into her music album and learned the twenty-four preludes from the first volume of The Well-Tempered Clavier by heart. Klassen outlines Bach’s significance for the Mendelssohn family, both as an emblem of national culture and for the religiously uplifting quality of his music; the Mendelssohns saw themselves as guardians of this tradition.

428. Lambour, Christian. “Fanny Hensel als Beethoven-Interpretin: Materialien.” In Maßstab Beethoven? Komponistinnen im Schatten des Geniekults, 106–199. München: edition text+kritik, 2001. ISBN: 3-88377-688-2

Presents aspects of Hensel’s background in and engagement with Beethoven and his works: her piano teachers; Beethoven’s music she is known to have owned; Beethoven’s music she is known to have performed; commentary on Beethoven; and contemporary reactions to her as a Beethoven interpreter.

429. Mace, Angela Regina. “Fanny Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and the Formation of the Mendelssohnian Style.” PhD diss., Duke University, 2013. 332 pp.

Mace’s work reframes discussions of the “Mendelssohnian style” through exploration of Fanny’s contributions to its development, rather than seeing her work as influenced by it, and the relationship that both siblings had to the work of Bach, Beethoven, and each other. Mace also rediscovered the manuscript of Fanny Mendelssohn’s Ostersonate (Easter Sonata) in private hands and was able to attribute the authorship securely to Fanny (it had earlier been attributed to Felix). A performing edition of the Ostersonate is an appendix to this dissertation.

430. Müller, Gisela A. “‘Leichen-’ oder Blüthenduft’? Heine-Vertonungen Fanny Hensels und Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys im Vergleich.” In Fanny Hensel, geb. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Das Werk, edited by Martina Helmig, 42–50. München: edition text+kritik, 1997. ISBN: 3-88377-574-6

See no. 342.

431. Reynolds, Christopher A. Motives for Allusion: Context and Content in Nineteenth-Century Music. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003. 230 pp. ISBN: 9780674010376

In this book Reynolds discusses borrowings (or allusions) across a broad range of nineteenth-century works and composers. In Chapter 7, “Naming,” he notes Fanny Hensel’s use of the B–A–C–H motive in numerous works throughout her life, as well as the motive (C-sharp–E-sharp–F-sharp) that she used to represent herself, and the allusions to Fanny’s unpublished (at that time) Sonata in C minor in Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s String Quartet op. 80. The Mendelssohn siblings frequently disguised their B–A–C–H allusions through transposing by a step. Johannes Brahms also alluded to Hensel’s music in his own work. In Chapter 8, “Allusive Traditions and Audiences,” Reynolds notes Hensel’s references to Beethoven’s Arioso dolente from his Piano Sonata op. 110 in her Capriccio for Cello and Piano as well as in Das Jahr. See also no. 432 (a preliminary German-language version of this study). Reviewed in numerous publications, including Raymond Knapp, Journal of the American Musicological Society 58, no. 3 (Fall 2005): 736–748; Karen Painter, Beethoven Forum 13, no. 2 (Fall 2006): 188–205; R. Larry Todd, Journal of Musicological Research 24, no. 1 (January–March 2005): 71–75; and others.

432. Reynolds, Christopher. “Beethovens Arioso dolente und die Frage seiner motivischen Erbschaft.” In Beethoven und die Rezeption der Alten Musik: Die hohe Schule der Überlieferung, edited by Hans-Werner Küthen, 217–241. Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 2002. ISBN: 978-3-88188-072-5

A preliminary, article-length, German-language version of no. 431.

433. Schleuning, Peter. “Das Bach-Bild Fanny Hensels: Aus dem Entstehen einer Fanny-Hensel-Monographie.” In Bach und die deutsche Tradition des Komponierens: Wirklichkeit und Ideologie—Festschrift Martin Geck zum 70. Geburtstag, edited by Reinmar Emans and Wolfram Steinbeck, 168–179. Dortmunder Bach-Forschungen 9. Dortmund: Klangfarben Musikverlag, 2009. ISBN: 9783932676154

After highlighting Hensel’s less-remembered talent for witticisms, Schleuning surveys the role that Bach played in her musical and personal identity. Not only was Bach an authority figure in musical-technical matters, he also held aesthetic and patriotic significance. Schleuning notes that Fanny’s role in the St. Matthew Passion revival of 1829 has often been understated.

434. Todd, R. Larry. “Die Matthäus-Passon—Widerhall und Wirkung in Mendelssohns Musik.” In “Zu groß, zu unerreichbar”: Bach-Rezeption im Zeitalter Mendelssohns und Schumanns, edited by Anselm Hartinger, Christoph Wolff, and Peter Wollny, 79–97. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2007.

This article is largely about Felix’s references to the Matthäus-Passion in his compositions. At the end of the article, Todd touches on Fanny’s compositional engagement with the Matthäus-Passion (pp. 95–96), especially in her Cholera-Kantata and in Das Jahr.

435. Todd, R. Larry. “Echoes of the St. Matthew Passion in the Music of Mendelssohn.” In Mendelssohn Essays, 117–133. New York: Routledge, 2008.

An English-language reprint of Todd’s “Die Matthäus-Passion—Widerhall und Wirkung in Mendelssohns Musik” (no. 434).

436. Todd, R. Larry. “‘Gerade das Lied wie es dasteht’: On Text and Meaning in Mendelssohn’s Lieder ohne Worte.” In Musical Humanism and Its Legacy: Essays in Honor of Claude V. Palisca, edited by Nancy Kovaleff Baker and Barbara Russano Hanning, 355–379. Stuyvesant, NY: Pendragon, 1992. ISBN: 0-945193-29-7

Todd probes the question of whether Mendelssohn’s understanding of the genre Lied ohne Worte tended toward programmatic or “absolute.” Crucial evidence comes from Fanny Hensel’s Lieder für das Pianoforte and from Hensel’s recollection of a childhood game in which the siblings added words to existing piano works.

437. Todd, R. Larry. “On Stylistic Affinities in the Works of Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.” In The Mendelssohns: Their Music in History, edited by John Michael Cooper and Julie D. Prandi, 245–261. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0-19-816723-5

Todd explores the musical parallels in works by the siblings—in particular, Fanny’s Il Saltarello romano and the saltarello in Felix’s “Italian” Symphony; Fanny’s Andante in G major and Felix’s Andante in G major (published as op. 62, no. 1); and Fanny’s Allegro Moderato in B minor and Felix’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht. Todd argues that their work bears signs of familial similarity and interchange, but later in life, Fanny’s unique musical voice began to emerge more clearly.