OTHER COUNTRIES
Though not as prolific of women composers as its musical reputation
might indicate, Italy has still produced some famous names. The women of
the earlier schools of contrapuntal work have already been mentioned.
Francesca Caccini was an exponent of the first growth of opera. After
her comes a gap, and we find no women at work during the time of
Scarlatti, for example, and few in the era when the early conventional
opera saw its palmy days in the hands of Cimarosa and his compeers. A
number flourished at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and now
that Italy is experiencing a musical regeneration, the women are still
present in the field.
One of the foremost of them to-day is the Countess Gilda Ruta. She was
born at Naples, and was the daughter of a musician of some note, in
fact, he became one of her best teachers. Among others with whom she
studied was the opera composer, Mercadante, whose long career extended
well into the last century. She became a pianist of great renown, but
won her laurels more in the field of composition. Her opera, "The
Fire-Worshippers," is a worthy example of its school. Her orchestral
ability showed itself also in the form of a concerto for piano, while
among her other works are a number of songs and a good deal of
instrumental music.
Eva Dell' Aqua is another Italian woman who has won a high position by
her works. She did not inherit the taste directly, for her father was
not a musician, but a painter. He has made Brussels his home, and there
his talented daughter has brought forth her compositions. Her songs are
widely known, and show sterling merit. In more ambitious vein is her
operetta, "La Bachelette," which was given with unusual success in the
Brussels theatres. Another work for the stage is the comic opera,
"Tambour Battant."
Carlotta Ferrari is undoubtedly the greatest of the Italian women
composers. Born at Lodi in 1837, she soon began her musical studies,
completing them with the best masters of the Milan Conservatory. When
she tried to enter the lists in dramatic work, she found the theatre
managers unwilling to give her any encouragement because of her sex.
Feeling sure of her ability, however, she was brave enough to hire a
theatre, and produce her opera, "Ugo," at her own expense. The result
justified her hopes, for the work scored an entire success. Since that
time she has had no trouble in dealing with the managers, who may well
feel ashamed of their early fears. Her later operas, "Sofia" and
"Eleonora d'Aborea," were as warmly received as her first attempt.
Her work is by no means limited to the stage. She has produced an
excellent mass, which was written for the cathedral of her native town.
The impression made by this work was so favourable that she received two
commissions from the Turin authorities, at later times, one for a
requiem and the other for a cantata. She is said to be an absolute
master of canon, or the imitation of one part by another. Among her
smaller works are two sets of these canons for three voices and piano.
One of the earlier composers was Maria Teresa Agnesi, who flourished in
the eighteenth century. Like many of her sex, she was a pianist as well
as a composer. She worked in the larger forms, and her four operas met
with decided success in many cities of her operatic land. Besides
operas, she produced several cantatas and other choral works, and a
number of concertos, sonatas, and pieces for the piano.
Another eighteenth century celebrity was Maddalena Sirmen, who won fame
as one of the great Italian school of violinists. She was a pupil of the
renowned Tartini, and held her own with the great performers of her
time. Her works contain a number of violin concertos and a set of six
trios for two violins and a 'cello, besides many smaller pieces. Most of
these were wholly successful in performance.
Maria Andreozzi, Marquise de Bottini, lived in the early part of the
nineteenth century. Her works all show great merit, and cover a wide
range in the matter of form. They include an opera, a requiem, a Stabat
Mater, an orchestral Magnificat, the cantata "St. Cecile," another
choral cantata, a number of concertos for piano, several overtures, and
various compositions for voice, harp, and piano.
It is only natural to find opera the most popular form for ambitious
Italian composers to use in striving for public favour. Where each
little town and village had its own opera-house, there was an
opportunity for the public to become accustomed to this form, while
other works stood less chance of production and brought less revenue to
the composer.
As early as 1764 we find the ballet music to the opera "Dario,"
published by Signora Bartalotti. In the next century, Ursula Asperi
leads in point of time, her first opera having been given in 1827. She
was conductor for a year at one of the Florentine theatres, and filled
the post with admirable skill. Carolina Uccelli produced "Saul" in 1830,
following it up with "Emma di Resburgo." Teresa Seneke obtained a Roman
hearing for her opera, "Le Due Amichi," and published also a quantity of
songs and piano music. Adolfa Galloni composed the opera, "Le Quattra
Rustici," besides instrumental and vocal music. Signora Casella was
another operatic composer, her "Cristoforo Colombo" having been produced
at Nice in 1865. Teresa Guidi is the author of numerous operas of our
own day, while the Countess Ida Correr, of Padua, has witnessed frequent
performances of her "Gondoliera."
Of the many women working in the smaller forms, Virginia Mariani has won
prominence at present, not only by her songs and piano music, but by her
cantata, "The Apotheosis of Rossini." Teresa Milanollo, a celebrated
violinist of the past century, published a number of compositions for
her instrument, besides various works for piano. Among other piano
composers in Italy during the nineteenth century may be mentioned
Teresa de Blasis, Natalie Bertini, Eugenia Appiani, Bertha Frugoni,
Clary Zentner, and Adele Branca Mussini.
Onestina Ricotti has tried her hand at songs, as well as publishing
piano works. Teresa Bertinotti, herself a famous singer, was the
composer of many popular songs and arias. Angelica Catalani was another
example of the combination of singer and composer, while Marietta
Brambilla added teaching to her other accomplishments. Maria Rosa Coccia
was a celebrity of the preceding century, and won great fame by her
youthful accomplishments in counterpoint, besides composing much church
music. Mariana Creti gained her renown as a player on the harp and
composer for that instrument.
The Netherlands has also its quota of musical women. In the early part
of the last century, Mlle. Broes, a native of Amsterdam, won an enviable
position as a pianist, and composed a number of pieces for her
instrument, including dances, rondos, and variations. In the next
generation, Madeleine Graever, of the same place, pursued a similar
career. She made many successful tours in the usual European countries,
and spent a year in New York at the beginning of the Civil War. On her
return from this country, she became court pianist to the Queen of
Belgium. Her works include several display pieces for piano. The
Baroness van der Lund has also published a number of piano works.
Among the contemporary composers, one of the best is Catherine van
Rennes. Her work consists chiefly of songs, a form in which she is
eminently successful. Among those she has published are a set of five
two-part songs, entitled "Lentetever," a collection of six two-part
songs for children, and a set of solos for the same performers under the
title of "Jong Holland." She shows a mastery of style, and an ability to
get just the effect that she wishes. Her works are attractive and
singable without ever becoming overswollen or bombastic.
Cornelia van Osterzee has won her way to the highest position by her
work in the larger forms. Among her best productions are two symphonic
poems from the "Idyls of the King," entitled "Elaine's Death" and
"Geraint's Bridal Journey." These were performed with great success at
one of the recent Berlin Philharmonic Concerts. Her cantatas show
unusual breadth of style, and their largeness of spirit wins them great
favour. Mlle. Osterzee has been honoured for her work by receiving the
decoration of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Hendrika van Tussenbroek is another composer who devotes herself chiefly
to songs. Like Mlle. van Rennes, she is a native of Utrecht. Her works
include many songs and vocal duets, of which "Meidoorn," a collection of
children's songs, deserves especial mention. She wrote the words and
music for a child's operetta, "Three Little Lute Players," which was
performed three times and aroused much enthusiasm.
In Belgium, the Countess de Lannoy won her laurels in the eighteenth
century. Her work took the form of ballads and romances, and she wrote
also a sonata and a number of other instrumental pieces. Among the
Belgian musical women of to-day, Juliette Folville stands in the front
rank. Born as late as 1870, at Liege, she became an excellent violinist
as well as composer, and in all probability has a long career still
before her. Most important among her works is a set of several
orchestral suites, while a violin concerto and other pieces are more in
line with her efforts as a performer. Her opera, "Atala," met with
considerable success when given at Lille in 1892.
In Denmark, Emma Dahl flourished as a singer and composer during the
middle of the last century, and published many melodious songs in her
own and the Scandinavian countries. Valborg Aulin is a more recent
writer of songs, of which she has issued a respectable number. Her
choral work is of excellent quality, and has enabled her to carry off
more than one prize in musical competitions. Harriet Cuman, of
Copenhagen, is an excellent pianist, being reckoned as one of the
greatest performers of the present. Her works consist chiefly of pieces
for her instrument. Sophie Dedekam is a composer of songs, of which
several sets have been published. Elizabeth Meyer is another successful
song-writer. She does not confine herself to this form, however, but has
produced many piano works. Her cantata, for soloists, chorus, and piano,
won first prize in a recent Danish competition.
Sweden can boast of several women composers, of whom at least two are
really famous. Among those working in the smaller forms is Caia Aarup,
now residing in America. She is the author of a number of pleasing songs
and piano compositions. Amanda Maier, known also under her married name
of Röntgen, has composed many worthy pieces for the violin, among them
being a sonata and an interesting set of Swedish Dances. Another violin
composer is Miss Lago, who has published songs and piano pieces as well
as violin works, and has won a prize at Copenhagen with a piano cantata.
Helen Munktell has produced songs and piano pieces, and has entered
another field with her one-act opera, "In Florence." Hilda Thegerstrom
is responsible for some very melodious songs and piano pieces,
published in Germany as well as in her native land.
One of Sweden's most gifted women is Elfrida Andrée. Born in 1841, she
soon devoted herself to musical studies, and took up the career of
organist, so often a thankless one. She plays at present in the
cathedral at Gothenburg. Her works include many different forms, even
the symphonic. Her organ symphony is especially noteworthy, and all her
orchestral works show decided talent. Her orchestral cantata,
"Siegfried," is another effective composition. For chamber music she has
written a quintette for piano, two violins, viola, and 'cello, also
another quintette for strings that won a prize in competition. At a
recent Brussels musical congress, she took first prize among no less
than seventy-eight competitors. She is the author of many smaller works
for organ, voice, and piano.
In Ingeborg von Bronsart is found one of the few really great women
composers. Born at St. Petersburg in 1840, she is classed as Swedish
because her parents were not citizens of Russia, but remained subjects
of Sweden. Her mother was a Finn, but her father's native place was
Stockholm. Ingeborg's earliest musical impressions came from the violin
playing of her mother, done wholly by ear, from her father's flute
playing, and from the singing of the touching Swedish folk songs by the
housekeeper. When her elder sister began regular study, Ingeborg was
considered too young for it, but begged so hard that she was allowed to
take lessons too. At the very first one, the teacher noticed her great
talent, and in a few months she was far in advance of her sister. A year
later, at the age of eight, Ingeborg began to compose little melodies
and dances, and her father was moved to seek a good master for her.
[Illustration: INGEBORG VON BRONSART]
He made a fortunate choice in the famous amateur, Nicholas von
Martinoff, for Ingeborg became not only his pupil but a welcome guest at
the house of his family. With them she was able to hear the best of the
operas and other music afforded by the imperial city, and the summers
passed by her at their estate enabled her to grow strong by riding,
swimming, and other outdoor exercise.
When eleven years old, Ingeborg began harmony with the composer Decker.
She progressed quickly, and in her first concert, given a year later,
was able to present creditable work of her own. Her success was
decisive, and critics and public united in foretelling her great future.
From that time on she gave annual concerts with orchestra, meeting
growing favour. Meanwhile her composition was not neglected; beginning
by publishing three études, a tarantelle, and a nocturne for piano, she
continued with sonatas, fugues, and songs. She won the interest of the
musical circles, including Rubinstein, and through Von Martinoff she
became the pet of the Russian aristocracy. When that protector was
called away by the Crimean War, he left her in the care of Adolf
Henselt, and after two years with the new master, she was sent by him to
finish her studies under Liszt, then long famous as leader of the gifted
musical circle of Weimar.
When she came to him, an eighteen-year-old girl, endowed with all the
fair beauty of her northern land, she gave him as proof of her
proficiency some of her piano fugues. The experienced master rather
doubted if the charming apparition before him could produce such an
intricate work as a fugue without receiving aid, so he gave her a new
theme and requested her to write another fugue upon it. Nothing daunted,
she started at once, and, in a short while, she handed him the
manuscript. He played it through, and acknowledged its merit with the
remark, "Well, you don't look at all like it." Instantly came the reply,
"I am very glad I don't look like a fugue." Ingeborg became one of his
few chosen favourites, and soon all Weimar worshipped her as St.
Petersburg had done before.
With Liszt she remained two years, devoting herself chiefly to piano,
and composing a sonata only as a diversion. She speaks warmly in praise
of the great tone-poet's influence. "His guidance," she says, "prevented
me from being one-sided in art, and the example of his wonderful nature
taught me to seek and absorb the beautiful in music everywhere, no
matter what school its composer belonged to." While under Liszt's care,
she appeared at court, and made successful débuts in Dresden, Paris, and
the Leipsic Gewandhaus. Under Liszt also was Hans von Bronsart, who had
known Ingeborg in St. Petersburg, and who now was fortunate enough to
win her love and become her husband.
The next few years were devoted to performing, and numerous tours
brought equally numerous triumphs. Composition was not neglected, and a
piano concerto of fair success was the result of this period. At this
time her dramatic efforts began, and the three-act opera, "Die Göttin
von Sais," was the first result. The music of this work was excellent,
but the libretto lacked action, and no stage performance was ever given.
Composing soon became her life-work, for her husband was appointed
Intendant of the Hanover Court Theatre, and wives of Prussian officials
were forbidden to appear in public, except on especial occasions. Her
works began to multiply; German and Russian songs, piano pieces and
violin works, followed one another in quick succession. The return of
the troops from the Franco-Prussian War, with her husband as officer
among them, brought forth three patriotic songs, two male choruses, and
the Kaiser Wilhelm March for orchestra, performed at a court festival of
rejoicing.
Her second operatic attempt was a setting of Goethe's "Jery und Bately,"
which met with deserved success. The music is of choice quality
throughout, according to the criticism of Richard Pohl, and the dramatic
climax is excellently worked up by the fact that each successive number
is purposely made more effective than the one preceding it. The same
power and beauty of expression shows itself in her later songs, written
mostly for the poems of Bodenstedt. These are in many cases well able to
stand the test of comparison with the best of the German _Lieder_. A
number of pieces for 'cello and piano are of equal value, as are also
her violin works. Her last opera, "Konig Hiarne," suffers again from a
weak libretto, but is made of worthy musical material. It was rated as a
successful work, but some of the wiser critics doubt if its power of
melodic expression can wholly atone for the lack of certain essentially
dramatic qualities.
In 1887 the Hanover post was exchanged for a similar one at Weimar.
There her husband performed excellent service in keeping alive the
traditions of Liszt and his followers. After eight years of work, Von
Bronsart retired from public duty. A short period of travel followed,
after which the musical pair settled down to a life of quiet at Munich.
There, too, lives the daughter of the family, who is said to have
inherited a full share of the musical ability shown by her parents.
Among the composers of Norway, Mme. Betty Holmberg has devoted herself
to the violin, publishing an excellent suite and other compositions for
it. Magda Bugge, who has made America her home, is the author of many
piano pieces and songs. The most famous Norwegian woman composer,
however, is Agathe Backer-Gröndahl. Born in 1847, she received a
thorough musical training, counting among her teachers Kjerulf, Kullak,
Von Bülow, and Liszt. Her work has won her many honours, including the
royal gold medal of Sweden. Her compositions are not many in number, but
all of them show the most delightful freshness and originality. Like her
great fellow countryman, Grieg, she aims to give her music a distinctive
style of its own, and not make it a mere imitation of the usual models.
Her andante for piano and orchestra and her orchestral scherzo are
excellent works, which meet with frequent performance, while her suite
is another example of striking beauty. Her piano works, which include
études, fantasies, sketches, and humoreskes, are full of the same
characteristic charm, while her songs display exquisite poetic feeling.
Bohemia and Hungary, though politically parts of the Germanic nations,
may well be classed as separate from them in matters of art. Their
peoples are different racially, and their national music, especially in
the latter case, has a distinctive character of its own. Smetana and
Dvorak are the most famous types of the German dependency, while the
music of the Austrian province partakes of the wild gipsy flavour that
is so well reflected in some of Schubert's works.
One of the earliest Bohemian women composers was Veronica Cianchettini.
She came of a musical family, for she was one of the sisters of Dussek,
whose wife and daughter have already been mentioned in connection with
England's composers. Like her brother, she became a pianist of high
rank, and settled in London. Her works include a number of piano
concertos, sonatas, and other lesser pieces.
Elise Barth was a famous Bohemian pianist of the last century. She, too,
published many piano compositions. Another celebrated performer was
Auguste Auspitz, one of Smetana's best pupils. She produced many songs
and piano works, and would have done greater work but for her death at
the age of thirty-five. Mathilde Ringelsberg devoted herself to lighter
compositions, and wrote many popular dances. Wilhelmine Clausz, besides
being one of the best women pianists of to-day, has composed a few
pieces for her instrument, and has done much excellent editing and
arranging. Anna Schimon, who studied with Halévy, won renown as a singer
and teacher. She has published many vocal works, and has two operas in
manuscript. Rosa Bleitner, a teacher at the Prague Conservatory, has
published several sets of songs, also a very effective funeral march.
Among Hungarian composers, Ludmilla Gizycka, now living at Vienna, has
published a number of successful songs and piano pieces, among them an
interesting set of Polish melodies. Marie de Kohary, another
pianist-composer, has written a set of sonatas and various other piano
works. Mme. D'Hovorst has published a sonata for two pianos and various
other works. Henrietta Vorwerk has received much praise for her piano
pieces and songs, while Anna Zichy Stubenberg is another prolific worker
in the same field.
Poland, though divided among the nations, can boast a few women
composers. In the eighteenth century, the Countess Clementine Grabowska
wrote a number of piano pieces, among them a set of effective
polonaises. Marie Szymanowska, born in 1790, was a pupil of John Field,
and became one of the leading pianists of her time. Her fame was largely
increased by the poet Goethe, who made her one of the many idols of his
vagrant affections. He spoke of her playing in the highest terms,
placing her above Hummel. But the verdict of Mendelssohn is probably
more accurate: "Those who rate her so high," he says, "think more of her
pretty face than of her not pretty playing." Her works consist chiefly
of display pieces for the piano, a set of twelve concert études
receiving high praise from Schumann.
Julie von Baroni-Cavalcabo, who flourished in the last century, was
another brilliant pianist, numbering among her teachers one of Mozart's
sons. She seems to have won the esteem of Schumann, who dedicated his
humoreske to her, and gave high praise to many of her works. According
to his reviews, her Second Caprice is "fresh and rhythmical, full of
life and vivacity and delicate workmanship;" her fantasie, "Adieu et
Retour," has two movements that are "highly original, characteristic,
and scarcely offering a weak point for attack;" while her waltzes are
spoken of as almost the best that appeared in their time at Vienna.
Besides her many piano pieces, she published some excellent songs.
Adele Kletzinsky has published some violin works and other concerted
music, as well as the usual amount of songs and piano pieces. Nathalie
Janotha has become familiar to American audiences as a pianist. She was
a pupil of Clara Schumann and Woldemar Bargiel, and has won honours and
diplomas in many European cities. Her works consist of piano selections
and songs. Pauline Fechner is another renowned Polish pianist who has
published many pieces for her instrument. The Countess Margit Sztaray
has done some work for voice and organ. Thekla Badarczewska, who lived
and died at Warsaw, is known widely, if not always favourably, by her
"Maiden's Prayer" for piano.
In Russia, the Grand Duchess Alexandra Josephowna has written some
ambitious church music, including several psalms for soloists, chorus,
and orchestra. She has also produced some piano duets. The Grand Duchess
Olga is another royal Russian composer, whose "Parademarsch" for
orchestra has been published at Berlin. Another orchestral composer is
Theodosia de Tschitscherin, whose Grand Festival March was performed at
a coronation anniversary. The Countess Olga Janina, one of Liszt's
pupils, is at present a teacher and pianist at Paris, where she has
published a considerable amount of piano music. Marie Duport is another
Russian piano composer. The Countess Stephanie Komorowska is responsible
for several songs, piano sonatas, and other works. Mme. Rudersdorff,
well known in later life as a teacher in Boston, was the author of
several successful songs. Olga von Radecki is another noted Russian
musician, who has made Boston her home, and also a writer of worthy
vocal music. Mlle. Alexandrowna, of St. Petersburg, became famous as a
singer a few decades ago, and published some excellent songs. Mme. Serov
was another Russian woman of great musical talent.
Among the less extensive countries, Switzerland is represented by Anna
Cerrini de Monte-Varchi, who is the composer of many pretty piano works,
Isabella Angela Colbran, the eminent Spanish contralto, was born at
Madrid in 1785. She became the wife of Rossini, and created some
important rôles in those of his earlier operas which were written for
her. Her own compositions consist of songs and other vocal works. A
Spanish singer of more recent times is Rosaria Zapater, who was born in
1840. She became famous in literature as well as music, her poems being
rated highly, while her libretto to the opera, "Gli Amante di Teruele,"
is ranked as one of the best ever written. She has published a number of
songs, besides an excellent vocal method and piano instruction book.
Teresa Carreño, so well known in Europe and America, is a native of
Venezuela, being born at Caracas in 1853. Her career has been as varied
as it is successful, and her studies, as well as her triumphs, were
witnessed by many countries. Her father, at one time Minister of
Finance, was himself a musician, and when only fourteen composed a mass
that was given in the cathedral. A skilful violinist, he understood the
piano also, and gave his daughter lessons from her seventh year on.
Driven from the country by civil war, he determined to have Teresa turn
her musical talents to account.
As an eight-year-old prodigy, she met with an enthusiastic reception in
New York, where she aroused the interest and became the pupil of Louis
Gottschalk. At twelve she was taken to Paris, where she absorbed the
traditions of Chopin from his pupils. There, too, she played for Liszt,
who grew deeply interested in her, and wished her for a pupil. As her
father's affairs did not permit this, the great teacher left her with
the excellent advice to give her own individuality free play, and not
become a mere imitator of some other performer. This she certainly
followed, for her strong and fiery style of playing has carried away
countless audiences, and in later years her combination of poetic
feeling with impassioned power placed her in the front rank of the
world's pianists.
Soon after this meeting, she began to devote herself to singing, with
such rapid progress that she became able to appear with such an artist
as Tietjens. For many years she made this her chief work, but at last
her innate love for the piano brought her back to it. In 1885 she was
forced to exert her talents in still another direction,--that of
conducting. Being given the task of creating a national opera company in
Caracas, she engaged her artists in America and Italy, and took them to
her native city only to find the revolutionists in the most bitter and
active opposition against all government enterprises. Her undertaking
was no exception, and her leader, being terrorized by physical threats,
gave up his post with a feigned excuse of sickness. Rather than let the
matter drop, Carreño herself took the baton, and carried the season to a
successful close.
[Illustration: TERESA CARREÑO]
Her compositions have given her high rank in still another field. The
best work is perhaps a string quartette, which met with a warm welcome
at the Leipsic Gewandhaus concerts. This, with an unpublished serenade
for strings, gives proof of her ability in fairly large forms. Her hymn
for the Bolivar centennial has become the national song of Venezuela.
Her set of little waltzes, written for her daughter, Teresita, show the
most delicious grace, while her Venezuelan Dances are full of interest.
Among her other works, all for piano, are waltzes, fantasies, caprices,
études, a ballade, a scherzo, a reverie and barcarolle, and a song
without words. Her long career as pianist has made her so familiar in
that light that few think of her as a composer, but her creative work as
well as her ability as a performer must win her respect throughout the
musical world.