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Matthias Kirschnereit, a German pianist, is heard on this album playing the complete 'Songs Without Words composed by both Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny mendelssohn Hensel. Not only does this include the eight published volumes but also a ninth volume of unpublished pieces that Kirschnereit compiled specifically for this recording. Kirschnereit has won many renowned piano competitions including the German Music Competition in Bonn and the Australian International Piano Competition in Sydney. Felix Mendelssohn created this new genre of solo piano music in 1829 with his composition A Song, later published as Op. 19(b) No. 4. Mendelssohn's series of short lyrical piano pieces were written between 1829 and 1845. Fanny Hensel, elder sister of Mendelssohn, did not begin publishing her compositions under her own name until 1840, with five of her works being previously published under the name of Felix Mendelssohn.