"à Fanny H." - Approaching Fanny Hünerwadel

Fanny Hünerwadel was born into the wealthy Hünerwadel family of Lenzburg in 1826. For a woman of that time, it was not a matter of course to dedicate her life to music, but her culturally interested family made it possible for her. Her talent was discovered at a young age, particularly as a singer and pianist, and she continued her training in Zurich with piano virtuoso Alexander Müller. During this time, she came into contact with Richard Wagner and also met other well-known figures from the world of music such as Franz Liszt, who even composed the short piece à Fanny H. dedicated herself to it. She traveled to Paris and London and spent long periods in Italy, where she also began to compose.

Fanny moved in the highest echelons of society, but always remained down-to-earth and unassuming. She fell ill with typhoid fever in Rome and died on April 27, 1854, aged just 28. Two to three hundred people paid their last respects at her funeral.

Hanna Siegel, Tabea Furrer and Jessica Berger studied the singer, pianist and composer Fanny Hünerwadel intensively as part of their Matura thesis at the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau. The result is a short documentary film that portrays the musician's biography, her works and her environment. Although Fanny Hünerwadel celebrated international success in her short life, hardly anyone knows her name today. The three were determined to change this. During their research, the students not only learned a lot about Fanny Hünerwadel herself, but also about the history of Lenzburg. As an extension of their project, they organized a concert with pieces composed by Fanny Hünerwadel and the film vernissage of the documentary.

Link to the movie (duration 12'19")

Contact Jessica Berger: jessi.berger@outlook.com