This is the proper place to mention a widely-spread report, to the effect that Mendelssohn’s sister, Fanny Hensel (who died on the 14th of May, 1847), had a share in the composition of many of his works. Thus, among others, she has been often named as the composer of the entire first book of “Songs without Words” (op. 19). This has been much exaggerated. We are now enabled to reduce it to its proper proportions,[96] and to state positively that Mendelssohn included six only of his sister’s songs with words in his first four books of songs, and beyond these not one of any kind whatsoever. These songs are:—
| “Heimweh,” No. 2 | } | in Opus 8. |
| “Italien,” No. 3 | ||
| “Suleika and Hatem,” Duett, No. 12 |
| “Sehnsucht,” No. 7 | } | in Opus 9. |
| “Verlust,” No. 10 | ||
| “Die Nonne,” No. 12 |
We may further observe, that the song No. 12, “Die Blumenglocken mit hellem Schein,” in the operetta “Heimkehr aus der Fremde” (Son and Stranger), was set to music by Carl Klingemann, the author of the libretto, Mendelssohn’s most intimate friend, who died very recently. It had been already published by him in 1829, in a book of songs (Logier, Berlin), with other words, and was afterwards most charmingly and delicately instrumented by Mendelssohn for the operetta.
In addition to the list contained in the thematic catalogue of Mendelssohn’s published works, the following have since appeared in Germany.
1. Two Pianoforte Pieces: (a) Andante cantabile, in B flat; (b) Presto agitato, in G minor (Senff, Leipzig).
2. Two Songs for four Men’s Voices: (a) “Schlummernd an des Vaters Brust;” (b) “Auf, Freunde, lasst das Jahr uns singen,” in the “Repertorium für Männergesang” (Kahnt, Leipzig).
A “Te Deum,” for a four-part chorus and organ, with English words, has been published in London.
Lastly, we must not omit to mention a published work of Mendelssohn’s, though not a musical one, namely a translation of the ‘Andria’ of Terence. Its complete title is—
“The Maiden of Andros, a Comedy by Terence, in the metre of the original, translated by F——; with an introduction and notes, edited by K. W. L. Heyse. (Berlin, 1826, Ferdinand Dummler.)”