Thursday 11 January 2024

"Nannerl" Mozart & Fanny Mendelssohn

These were the talented sisters (both four years older!) of their famous younger brothers.

A film named "Mozart's Sister" (2010, French) has been made on her life. Her father did not favour either her composing or becoming a professional musician, even though she played the harpsichord & violin as well as her brother & could also sing. According to the film, the Dauphin (Crown Prince) of France, fell in love both with her music & herself but had to marry another for reasons of State. She later married a twice-widowed magistrate with 5 children (Shades of "The Sound of Music!") at the age of 32. After his passing away, she lived until the age of 78, blind & tired, though not in want.

Fanny, as talented as Felix Mendelssohn, was also discouraged by her father to be a professional. After her marriage, when she wanted to publish her compositions, her husband did not object, but Felix did! She obeyed her younger brother! But when she died of a stroke at the age of 38, Felix was shattered. But he recovered enough to compose a string quartet in Fanny's memory, visited her grave & died himself within six months of Fanny's death. Her great-great-great granddaughter, Sheila Hayman, has made & released a feature length documentary on her illustrious ancestor in late 2023.

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