Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)
- Piano-Forte Concerto in B-Dur (c.1857)
Performers: Ewa Kupiec (fortepiano); Neubrandenburger Philharmonie;
Sebastian Tewinkel (conductor)
Further info: Mayer - Symphonie No. 4 & Piano Concerto
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German composer and sculptor. She was born the third of five children
and eldest daughter of wealthy pharmacist, Johann August Friedrich
Mayer, and wife Henrietta Carolina. Her mother died when she was two
years old. When she was five, she received a grand piano and was given
music lessons but, seemingly destined for a domestic life, at the age of
28 her circumstances changed when her father committed suicide, leaving
Mayer with a large inheritance. In 1841, she moved to the regional
capital city of Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) and sought to study
composition with Carl Loewe, a central figure in the musical life of the
city. In 1847, after the premiere of her first two symphonies by the
Stettin Instrumental Society, and with the urging of her tutor, she
moved to Berlin to continue her compositional studies. Once in Berlin,
she studied fugue and double counterpoint with Adolph Bernhard Marx, and
instrumentation with Wilhelm Wieprecht. She began publishing her works
and performing in private concerts. Then, on 21 April 1850, Wieprecht
led his 'Euterpe' orchestra in a concert at the Royal Theatre
exclusively presenting compositions by Mayer, including a concert
overture, string quartet, a setting of Psalm 118 for chorus and
orchestra, two symphonies and some piano solos. Shortly after this, she
was awarded the gold medal of art from the Queen of Prussia, Elisabeth
Ludovika of Bavaria. With critical and popular acclaim, she continued
composing works for public performance. She traveled to attend
performances of her works, including concerts in Cologne, Munich, Lyon,
Brussels and Vienna. As Mayer’s instrumental works were being
increasingly performed and her fame grew, she was appointed co-director
of the Berlin Opera. Even so, she was often forced to meet the costs
involved herself. While her male counterparts would often receive an
honorarium from their publishers, Mayer still had to pay for publication
of her works. In 1876, she returned to Berlin where her music was still
frequently performed. Mayer’s new Faust Overture became a hit and she
re-established herself as a significant figure in the city’s cultural
circles. As a composer, her output includes the singspiel 'Die
Fischerin', several sinfonias and overtures, choral settings and lieder.
Among her instrumental works are 9 sonatas for violin and 13 for cello,
11 piano trios and 7 string quartets. She was initially influenced by
the Vienna classic style, whilst her later works were more Romantic.
Mayer’s harmonies are characterized by sudden shifts in tonality and the
frequent use of seventh chords, with the diminished seventh allowing
Mayer to reach a variety of resolutions. Her rhythms are often very
complex, with several layers interacting at once. Besides composing, she
worked as a sculptor, and some of her works were retained in royal
collections.
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