Presents
Emilie Mayer
Piano Trio b minor, Op.16
Emilie Mayer (1812-1883) was born in the German town of Friedland. Although she received piano and organ lessons as a child, she did not pursue a musical career as her widowed father needed her to help keep house for him. It was only upon his death at the age of 28 that she pursued formal studies moving to the city of Stettin (since 1945 Szczecin in Poland) where she took composition lessons from Carl Loewe, the City Music Director. Loewe considered her extraordinarily talented and as a result she worked extremely hard, dedicating herself to composition. On Loewe’s recommendation she went to Berlin where she studied with Adolph Marx, then a leading teacher in theory and composition and a family friend of the Mendelssohns. It is through him that he introduced her to them and their circle of musical friends,. She was a fairly prolific composer, especially in view of the fact that she started to compose rather late. Among her many works number eight symphonies, at least six piano trios, two piano quartets, seven string quartets, two string quintets, seven violin sonatas, and twelve cello sonatas.
Emilie Mayer's Op.16 in b minor was published in 1861. One of only a few which were published during her lifetime. It was dedicated to her first teacher and mentor, Carl Loewe. Just when she had finished writing the trio is unclear. She herself in a letter from the late 1850s mentioned that she had composed three piano trios and the trio in e minor is probably one of these. By 1861, she was living in Berlin and was recognized as a prominent composer at least in musical circles. The opening movement to the trio is marked Allegro di molto e con brio, which aptly sums up the the writing. It begins with a bang. The music is full of nervous excitement and drama. The second movement, Un poco Adagio, begins somewhat diffidently and hushed. Eventually, a lyrical, singing subject is presented by the violin and further developed by the cello while the piano, for the time being, hangs in the background. Next comes a playful, rhythmic Scherzo, allegro assai. The finale is a thrusting and energetic, Allegro, full of drive and forward motion.
This is a work worthy of concert performance and should also be of interest to amateurs. Long out of print, we are pleased to bring it back once again.
Parts: $29.95
