There is a new film which is about to come out, which may be of interest. The film is Fanny: The Other Mendelssohn, a revelatory new feature documentary starring, Isata Kanneh-Mason.
Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March may be the best-known classical composition of all time. But Felix was not the only genius in the family. His sister, Fanny was also a great composer, equal in talent to any of her contemporaries, male or female; technically brilliant and creatively ground-breaking. Most other musicians were daunted by her, but Fanny was, fatally, in awe of her younger brother Felix. He opposed her desire for a musical career, and Fanny dared not defy him until she was forty – and had written over four hundred works. Her joy at the recognition this brought was short-lived: a year later she was dead, and Felix followed six months later. For many years Fanny’s music did not get the recognition it deserved. This film puts that right.
The film tells the story of Fanny’s life and of her Easter Sonata, which for years was thought to be a lost work by Felix. But in an amazing plot twist, captured as it happened, the film proves once and for that this is Fanny’s own piano masterpiece, written when she was only 22. And the music is brought to life in the film by the young virtuoso pianist, Isata Kanneh-Mason, who made her sensational Proms solo debut this year. And as she discovers the Easter Sonata, the parallels between her life and Fanny’s – including the challenge of being a pioneer with few role models in classical music – become clear.
Directed by the composer’s great great great granddaughter, by turns joyous, fascinating and tragic, the film is the story of a very modern woman – who just happened to live 200 years ago. You can watch the trailer for the film here: https://youtu.be/_RSeqw1ziC0 and it is already booked in 17 cinemas across London.
Here is a link to where it will be shown: https://www.dartmouthfilms.com/fannytheothermendelssohn.
Information supplied by Matt Hird, Head of Distribution, Dartmouth Films.
