The Songs of Fanny Hensel

Abstract

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 is 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 twelve 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.