Fanny Mendelssohn

Fanny Mendelssohn, born to a prominent Jewish family in Hamburg, showed immense musical talent from a young age. Her father, Abraham, famously told her that while Felix pursued music professionally, for her it 'must remain only an ornament, never the basis of your being and doing.' One can only imagine the dinner table conversations.

Despite the prevailing societal expectations that actively discouraged women from professional careers, especially in composition, Fanny continued to write. She composed over 450 pieces, including piano works, lieder, and cantatas, though many remained unpublished or were published under Felix's name. Talk about taking one for the team.

While her brother Felix achieved widespread fame, Fanny's genius was largely confined to private salons and family performances. It's a real shame, considering that many contemporary critics and even Felix himself acknowledged her formidable talent. If only she'd been born with a Y chromosome, the world might know her as more than just 'Felix's sister.'