Presents
Emilie Mayer
Piano Quartet in E flat Major-World Premiere Edition
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, six piano trios, two piano quartets, seven string quartets, two string quintets, seven violin sonatas, and twelve cello sonatas.
Emilie Mayer wrote two piano quartets, possibly one immediately after the other. The first was in G Major, the second in E flat Major. Neither was published during her lifetime and the manuscript, which resides in the German State Library in Berlin is undated. However, most scholars believe the piano quartets were composed between 1855 and 1860. In four movements, the opening Allegro con moto begins with an 8 bar rather genial statement, it then explodes in an outburst of energy and forward motion. The music shows the influence of her teacher, Carl Loewe, rather than Mendelssohn or Schumann. The second movement is a lively and lilting Scherzo. A relaxed much calmer trio section provides a nice contrast. The Un poco adagio which follows begins with the cello giving out the main theme in a somewhat diffident fashion. The music has a vocal quality, again harking back to her teacher Loewe who was often called the 'Schubert of the North.' Once can imagine a dramatic aria. The finale, an Allegro in 6/8, starts off as a playful dance, buoyant and elegant.
This piano quartet, like her other chamber music, which she was able to get performed, though well received was not sought after by publishers and did not enter the repertoire which it probably would have done if she had been a man. Not only is this an historically important work by an excellent woman composer when few were writing, but it can stand on its own as a first class piece of work. It deserves to be heard in concert and certainly will be enjoyed by amateurs as well.
Parts: $39.95
