This concert offers a moving portrait of the profound bond between Fanny Hensel and her brother Felix Mendelssohn—a relationship of deep musical collaboration and mutual mentorship. Fanny was Felix’s “Minerva,” whose wisdom and discerning advice shaped his compositions. The siblings grew up studying with the same teachers and were deeply influenced by J.S. Bach. Fanny’s salon became a cultural hub, but her music was rarely published due to the social constraints on women of her time. Felix, by contrast, enjoyed public acclaim and even published some of Fanny’s songs under his own name. He later revealed to Queen Victoria that her beloved “Italien” was actually Fanny’s composition. Their connection endured until the end: Fanny died of a stroke at 41, and Felix, grief-stricken, died just six months later.
PROGRAM
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Quintet No. 1 in A major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello, Op. 18 (1826)
J.S. BACH Chorale Prelude
J.S. BACH Aus Liebe arr. for Flute, Two Violas, and Voice (1727)
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Trio No. 2 in C minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 66 (1845)
FANNY MENDELSSOHN Italien for Voice and Piano
FANNY MENDELSSOHN Trio in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 11 (1846)
ARTISTS
Nikki Einfeld, SOPRANO | Stacey Pelinka, FLUTE | Jennifer Frautschi, Owen Dalby, VIOLIN | Elizabeth Blumenstock, Ramón Carrero-Martínez, VIOLA | Aaron Wolff, Tanya Tomkins, CELLO | Audrey Vardanega, Eric Zivian, PIANO
PERFORMANCE LENGTH
Approximately 2 hours with intermission | Program and artists subject to change
SINGLE TICKETS
SUBSCRIPTIONS