Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel

Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, drawing by her husband Wilhelm Hensen

In the case of Mozart's sister, the parents were the ones who stopped her career as a musician. Felix Mendelssohn's sister Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, born in Hamburg (1805-1847) was in a similar situation. She was four years older than her brother. Recognized very early as an unusual musical talent, she and her brother got an excellent musical education from the best teachers and started to compose, but her father decided that her brother should become a composer and not her, because the profession was not meant for women. Nevertheless, Fanny continued composing and performing in small circles until the end of her life. 

Some of her early compositions were published under Felix Mendelssohn's name in his Liederheften op. 8 and 9.

When both Fanny and Felix were living at home, their parents supported concert series called “Sontagsmusiken”. In these concerts they performed their music among that of many other composers. Later, after having married Wilhelm Hensel in 1829, Fanny started to organize concerts again, playing and conducting for an audience that included also celebrities of her time, such as Franz Liszt, Clara Schumann or the poet Heinrich Heine.

Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel composed more than 400 pieces, mostly chamber music, easy to perform in intimate circles. But there are also several orchestral and choral works.

During the last year of her life Fanny Mendelssohn could finally start publishing her music under her own name, against the wish of her brother. But she died suddenly during a rehearsal in May of 1847. Her brother Felix fell into a deep depression after her death and died in November of the same year.

Here is the first movement of her Piano Trio, I greatly encourage you to listen to the whole piece if you don’t know it yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lMxPMXODpU