Quotes

“Felix is a very joyous bridegroom, so joyous that not even the brief separation from his beloved succeeds in grieving him. He was quite cheerful when they parted! All in all, I have never known him to be so naturally joyous as he has appeared since being made certain of his good fortune; and he has every good reason for this. Cécile is very pretty, very well-bred, very graceful, and her devotion to him appears to be no less ardent than his to her.”

Dorothea Schlegel to Lea Mendelssohn Bartholdy, 1836

“Dearest Felix! These lines … are written only to tell you how much I love you and, just as yesterday and today and every day, how I cannot carry on thanking God enough for bestowing such undeserved happiness upon me. May he continue to grant us both joy throughout our lives; that is the urgent entreaty of your Cécile J.”

11 October 1836

“Incidentally, I am all too cognisant that it is a downright disgrace for a man of 27 years, such as I am, to be so totally, with his entire soul, up to his ears in love – one should have mature attitudes, tranquillity, a sense of proportion – God knows what else – but all that I have is my great love for Cécile and my fervent desire to be with her. If you would laugh at me for this, then you may do so now.”

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy to Carl Klingemann, 4 December 1836

“Yesterday evening there was a very fine concert for Fräulein Grabau, where she also sang the pretty song you were so good as to send to me for my album; it amused me so greatly how the people clapped afterwards and were enchanted, and I sitting in their midst and being able to hear everything they said about it! You cannot imagine how strange I found it to see Felix conduct for the first time. He looks too handsome indeed up there on his throne; and when the people then applauded him, I blushed all over as if the applause was my own.”

Cécile to Fanny Hensel, 7 March 1837

“Sadly I can almost never sing along for I am … plagued by influenza which lurks furtively within …, sometimes afflicting me in the form of toothache and sometimes as a cough. That is now a thorn in the flesh for my mother, who considers that I will not make a suitably advantageous impression on my dear mother-in-law, who might, perhaps, believe me to be sickly. But I am much more concerned that she shall find me lacking in other respects.”

Cécile to Fanny Hensel, 7 March 1837

“It is exceeding wonderful how my Cécile knows how to arrange everything so well and so congenially; I cannot tell you how pleasantly she comports herself as my homemaker, how she knows how to converse with the paperhangers, carpenters and masons and win the respect of the maid, all done so concisely and to the purpose such as barely any other could achieve, and how she pardons and indulges me (or so she says) and how singularly well I enjoyed my lunch today when we sat for the first time alone at home.”

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy to his mother, 4 October 1837

“There is much disagreement about politics and the current direction of travel, and I lament that my education was completely lacking when it comes to voicing an opinion on these things.”

Cécile to her sister-in-law Fanny Hensel, 11 January 1838

“Felix has now finally received his new grand piano, which has a wonderful tone. He plays on it all day long, and is most satisfied with it. He will have to play in public soon too, for he always must, and puts it off as long as he can, complains about the audience and finds all public exposure insufferable. I cannot comprehend it; I only know that if I had such a talent as Felix, I would permit the whole world to enjoy it. How many people yearn their whole lives to hear him play just one time.”

Cécile to Lea Mendelssohn Bartholdy, 29 November 1838

“… but Clarus must first decide whether Cécile may be allowed to sport and travel in circumstances which appear not to be exceptional in her case, but rather constant.”

Lea Mendelssohn to Felix and Cécile, June 1840

“My dear man! I have never before in my life experienced such impatience, joy and longing as since receiving your most recent letter from London. I cannot stay quiet for a moment longer and believe if I do not see you soon it will make me ill. God knows what is to become of me with my infatuation.”

6 October 1840

“We are remaining in Leipzig; you will find us there. Cecile paints in oils all day long, and I sit next to her at my desk.”

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy to his sister Rebecka, 16 June 1843

“This evening there will be a small gathering at our home to rehearse Felix’s lieder. He has no fewer than a dozen for four voices ready and is delighted with them. But it never lasts for long; tomorrow he will undoubtedly be most fretful, making alterations and ripping things up. Is that altogether necessary, dear Fanny? That is my only quarrel with Felix, and it often drives me to distraction.”

Cécile to her sister-in-law Fanny Hensel, 22 June 1843

“To my not inconsiderable consternation, I have been unable to shake off my cold and my hoarseness for some time, so that I had Julie sing me your lieder. I like them very well, but I always find everything much lovelier if I can sing it for myself; not because I am so very enraptured by my modest voice, but because I can immerse myself much more into the song and gain a much better comprehension of it.”

Cécile to her sister-in-law Fanny Hensel, 5 January 1845

“Everyone, including Felix and Lilli, has just spent a few hours outside, and I only wished you could see your little girl when she returned; even you would have been charmed by her. You unnatural father, you would certainly not recognise her even if she encountered you in the street. Alas, if only I had known how you viewed me, you with music in your veins, and had considered the matter with more clear-sightedness, then I would not have remained such a church mouse. Now, of course, it is all too late, for you have left me here with a house full of children and gone out into the wide world, the great man, paying court to beautiful songstresses.”

Cécile to her husband, autumn 1845

“The leaves have fallen from the trees, all has become cold and grey at this time of year, but I have not yet said, ‘I wish my husband would return.’ On the contrary: I reply to all of the people who pity me for being so alone with the old adage, ‘Sadly I am used to it by now’, or ‘The children help me to pass the time’. That is of course true, but I do also truly yearn for you my dear, dear Felix, and cannot do otherwise even if you forbid it of me.”

Cécile to her husband, December 1845

“My God, how often I think about how Felix would have responded if he had gradually lost all of his fine illusions about his fatherland and his people, to which he is so proud to belong. I believe he would have left Germany to go and live in England.”

Cécile to her mother, spring 1848

“I am in no doubt that a good education creates a more durable foundation than money, and I would rather diminish my children’s wealth – which would be of no service to them if their development were to go awry – than to neglect something I believe to be beneficial.”

Cécile to her mother, 31 December 1848

“The children bring me much joy, albeit often also great distress and considerable effort every day. They are nigh on my sole companions and employment. Lily was also recently unwell; otherwise, she has only ever brought me pure joy and is pleasing to the eye, so fresh and pretty, still full of love in her remembrance of her father. Marie resembles him more closely every day, but only externally. Her mouth, nose and teeth are quite the same, also her eyes if they were not blue. She is now considered to be very pretty, and in truth it would be hard indeed to find anyone more healthy or fresh in countenance, but I do not find her amiable at present, and must spend the entire day admonishing and rebuking her. Carl is very diligent at school and behaves quite oddly at home, Paul is terribly lazy, but a good, honest boy, and Felix is still a little withdrawn.”

Cécile to Sophia Horsley and Carl Klingemann, 7 November 1849

“Yesterday evening, I had the great pleasure of hearing Frau Schumann’s wonderful rendition of Felix’s trio, his Variations sérieuses and several other pieces … she has always regarded Felix as a role model and is the only person who, from time to time, vividly reminds me of his playing.”

Cécile to her mother, 28 March 1850

“As for my memories, I do not flee them but rather seek them out. God did not cause me to live through these times just to forget, day by day, what He wished to teach me through heart-rending pain and cruel suffering. I find healing in always pondering on this.”

Cécile to her mother, 3 November 1852

“I could no longer earn my daily bread from sewing. I thank God that it is not a necessity, and consider myself fortunate indeed that I was able to be and was as nurtured as I have been, surrounded by benevolent people who have helped and supported me.”

Cécile to her mother, 19 December 1852

“Cécile was by no means effusive; she demonstrated her affection and loyalty to those around her through both her deeds and the sacrifices she was always prepared to make. When it came to her duties, she was strict with herself but always allowed the greatest leniency to prevail in her dealings with others.”

Elisabeth Jeanrenaud about her daughter