A tragic loss to music
Donald Macleod tells of a life cruelly cut short - as Maier鈥檚 brilliant performing and compositional career is slowly overcome by illness.
Donald Macleod tells of a life cruelly cut short - as Maier鈥檚 brilliant performing and compositional career is slowly overcome by illness.
Amanda Maier (1853-1894) was one of the 19th century鈥檚 most brilliant musicians, yet whose story was almost lost to history. Born in the small Swedish town of Landskrona, her virtuoso talent at the violin saw her rise to become one of Europe鈥檚 most in-demand performers: giving private and public concerts of major works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Bruch, as well as her own dazzling compositions. Maier was a friend of Grieg, Brahms, Clara Schumann and Ethel Smyth and her music was reviewed in newspapers across Europe. Tragically, ill health would see her pass away at the age of just 41 and her musical legacy slowly forgotten. All this week, Donald Macleod is joined by musicologist and violinist Dr Jennifer Martyn to celebrate Amanda Maier's life and work - with performances of all her extant compositions alongside works by key figures in her life, including Edward Grieg, Carl Reinecke and Maier's husband, Julius R枚ntgen, with whom she enjoyed a close and loving relationship in music and in life.
Just as Amanda Maier was looking forward to a long and happy life with her beloved husband Julius and two young children, she became seriously ill. When she died in 1894, a devastated Grieg wrote in response 'she was one of my favourites'. Donald Macleod and Dr Jennifer Martyn tell the story of Maier鈥檚 last years and final compositions, and introduce one of Maier鈥檚 most memorable late works: her Piano Quartet.
Allegretto (Zwiegespr盲che)
Bengt Forsberg, piano
Piano Quartet in E minor (1st and 2nd mvts)
Anne-Sofi Klingberg, Bernt Lysell, violins
Gregory Maytan, viola
Sara Wijk, cello
Brahms: Violin Sonata No 3 (1st mvt)
Isabelle Faust, violin
Alexander Melnikov, piano
Zwiegespr盲che (excerpts)
Bengt Forsberg, piano
Piano Quartet in E minor (3rd and 4th mvts)
Anne-Sofi Klingberg, Bernt Lysell, violins
Gregory Maytan, viola
Sara Wijk, cello
Produced by Steven Rajam for 大象传媒 Audio Wales & West
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Music Played
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Amanda R枚ntgen-Maier
Zwiegesprache (No 1)
Performer: Bengt Forsberg. -
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Amanda R枚ntgen-Maier
Piano Quartet in E minor (1st & 2nd mvts)
Performer: Ann-Sofi Klingberg. Performer: Bernt Lysell. Performer: Gregory Maytan. Performer: Sara Wijk. -
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Johannes Brahms
Violin Sonata No 3 in D minor, Op 108 (1st mvt)
Performer: Isabelle Faust. Performer: Alexander Melnikov. -
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Amanda R枚ntgen-Maier
Zwiegesprache (excerpts)
Performer: Bengt Forsberg. -
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Amanda R枚ntgen-Maier
Piano Quartet in E minor (3rd & 4th mvts)
Performer: Ann-Sofi Klingberg. Performer: Bernt Lysell. Performer: Gregory Maytan. Performer: Sara Wijk.
Broadcast
- Fri 7 Jun 2024 16:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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