 The family moved to Berlin in 1811 , leaving Hamburg in disguise fearing French revenge for the Mendelssohn bank 's role in breaking Napoleon 's Continental System blockade . Abraham and Lea Mendelssohn sought to give their children – Fanny , Felix , Paul and Rebecka – the best education possible . Fanny became a well @-@ known pianist and amateur composer ; originally Abraham had thought that she , rather than Felix , would be the more musical . However , at that time , it was not considered proper , by either Abraham or Felix , for a woman to have a career in music , so Fanny remained an active but non @-@ professional musician . Abraham was also disinclined to allow Felix to follow a musical career until it became clear that he seriously intended to dedicate himself to it . 
