Triumphs in Berlin
Donald Macleod uncovers the story of a forgotten luminary of 19th-century classical music. Today, Mayer meets royalty and establishes her own salon.
Mayer meets royalty and establishes her own salon. Presented by Donald Macleod.
Composer of the Week explores the remarkable life and music of Emilie Mayer, who was known in her lifetime as the Female Beethoven. Born in Germany, in 1812, Mayer is considered by some to be the most prolific female composer of the Romantic period. She was held in high regard by the musical establishment of her time and appointed co-director of the Opera Academy in Berlin. Royalty frequently attended Mayer鈥檚 concerts and awarded her gold medals for her music and other artistic endeavours. In 1883 when Mayer died, she was buried in a place of honour, near to Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn. Donald Macleod is joined by Katy Hamilton throughout the week, to explore Mayer's life and the environment in which she flourished.
Emilie Mayer, at the insistence of her tutor Carl Loewe, now moved to Berlin to study with two of the most prominent musicians in the city, Bernhard Marx and Wilhelm Wieprecht. Mayer found herself at the heart of German musical culture and within a few years, her music was being performed in Berlin, and also published too. Mayer established her own music salon in the city, and becoming a key part of the musical establishment there. She was invited to take up the role of co-director at the Opera Academy and also made an honorary member of the Philharmonic Association in Munich.
Tonwellen (Waltz)
Yang Tai, piano
Symphony No 3 in C, 鈥淢ilitary鈥� (excerpt)
Mecklenburg Staatskapelle, Schwerin
Mark Rohde, conductor
String Quartet in G minor, Op 14 (Allegro appassionato)
Erato Quartet
Symphony No 4 in B minor (excerpt)
Neubrandenburg Philharmonie
Stefan Malzew, conductor
Produced by Luke Whitlock, for 大象传媒 Wales
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Emilie Mayer
Salonstucke, Op 30 (Tonwellen)
Performer: Yang Tai.- Capriccio : C5339.
- Capriccio.
- 9.
-
![]()
Emilie Mayer
Symphony No 3 in C, "Military" (3rd & 4th mvts)
Orchestra: Mecklenburg Staatskapelle. Conductor: Mark Rohde. -
![]()
Emilie Mayer
String Quartet in G minor, Op 14 (Allegro appasionato)
Ensemble: Erato Quartet.- CPO 9996792.
- CPO.
- 5.
-
![]()
Emilie Mayer
Symphony No 4 in B minor (3rd & 4th mvts)
Orchestra: Neubrandenburger Philharmonie. Conductor: Stefan Malzew.- Capriccio C5399.
- Capriccio.
- 3.
Broadcasts
- Wed 1 Dec 2021 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Wed 21 Sep 2022 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
Vaughan Williams Today
Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.