Mendelssohn is one of the 'Sunshine Composers' who, like Rossini and Saint-Saëns, wrote effortless, life-enhancing, optimistic music. 'Felix' is the Latin for 'happy' an auspicious choice for it ...

She was born into a musical family – her mother taught her to play the piano and her brother was the composer Felix Mendelssohn. Fanny was such a brilliant pianist that at the age of 13 she could play ...