Fanny Hensel created some of the most imaginative and original music of her era, making her arguably the most gifted female composer of the nineteenth century. While Hensel has finally stepped out of the shadow of her famous brother, Felix Mendelssohn, as scholars have begun to study her life and wr...

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Bibliographic Details

Other Authors:	Rodgers, Stephen 1974- (Editor)
Format:	Electronic eBook
Language:	English
Published:	New York, NY Oxford University Press 2021
Series:	Oxford scholarship online
Subjects:	Hensel, Fanny Mendelssohn / 1805-1847 / Songs Hensel, Fanny Mendelssohn / 1805-1847 / Criticism and interpretation Hensel, Fanny > 1805-1847 Songs / 19th century / History and criticism Lied
Online Access:	DE-12 Volltext
Summary:	Fanny Hensel created some of the most imaginative and original music of her era, making her arguably the most gifted female composer of the nineteenth century. While Hensel has finally stepped out of the shadow of her famous brother, Felix Mendelssohn, as scholars have begun to study her life and writings, her music has remained surprisingly underexamined. This collection places Hensel's music at the centre, focusing on the genre that not only made up more than half of her creative output but also, as Hensel herself put it, 'suits her best': song. In eleven new essays, leading scholars in the fields of music theory and musicology consider Hensel's songs from a wide range of angles, covering topics such as Hensel's fascination with particular poets and poetic themes; her innovative harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and textual strategies; and her connection to larger literary and musical trends. "Fanny Hensel is arguably the most gifted female composer of the nineteenth century-a composer of over 450 works, including 249 songs, who created some of the most pathbreaking music of her era. As much as Hensel has finally moved out from behind the shadow of her more famous brother, however, and as much as we now know about her life, there's one aspect of this astonishing composer that still remains understudied: her music. This book focuses on Hensel's contributions to the genre of song, the art form that she said "suits her best," where her gifts as a composer are especially evident Its eleven chapters consider such topics as Hensel's fascination with certain poets and poetic themes; her innovative harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and textual strategies; her connection to larger literary and musical trends; her efforts to break free the constraints placed on her as a woman; and her place in the history of nineteenth-century Lieder. No matter their particular topics of inquiry, the authors are guided by the conviction that the best way to honor Hensel's achievements as a composer and to appreciate her historical importance is to thoroughly examine what she wrote within its many diverse contexts, be they biographical, historical, cultural, or musical"
Item Description:	Also issued in print: 2021. - Includes bibliographical references and index
Physical Description:	1 Online-Ressource (272 Seiten) Illustrationen
ISBN:	9780190919597
DOI:	10.1093/oso/9780190919566.001.0001