Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn) and Louise Farrenc had everything they needed to reach the forefront of music history: an art-loving family, early musical support, sufficient financial means and, last but not least, enviable talent. There was only one thing they both lacked: the right gender. Fanny, just as brilliant a child prodigy as Felix, bowed for a long time to the will of her younger brother, who was convinced of the then common cliché that women were only capable of composing small, lyrical pieces. However, they lacked the strength for the supreme disciplines such as the string quartet or the symphony. Fanny Hensel's only string quartet, published in the 20th century, is a romantic masterpiece that proves her brother wrong. Louise Farrenc achieved great renown in 19th century Paris as a pianist, composer, and even as a conductor and professor. After her death, she was forgotten and was only rediscovered in the 1980s as part of gender research. Farrenc's string quintet is an arrangement of her popular nonet, which achieved a high level of fame outside France. The occasion on which Farrenc created the string-only version and whether it was ever performed remains a mystery. In addition to these two European women, two contemporary American composers are also in focus: Gabriela Lena Frank, born in California, traces her own roots in her works, which are fed by Peruvian-Chinese-Lithuanian-Jewish influences. In her work "Leyendas," she mixes elements of western classical and Andean folk music traditions. Jessie Montgomery has become a strong voice in American music in the 21st century through her artistic use of improvisation, poetry, and social awareness in her music. One of her latest works will have its premiere in this program.

Alexander Weiskopf

Events

Upcoming events

Jan 19, 2025

Ladies First · Munich Philharmonic

Future and recently performed repertoire

Bass in String Quartet in E flat Major by Mendelssohn

Munich Philharmonic

Bass in String Quintet E flat major by Farrenc

Munich Philharmonic

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