Emilie Mayer
German Composer
Born: 1812 (Friedland, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)
Died: 1883 (Berlin)
BIOGRAPHY
Born in 1812, Emilie Louise Friderica Mayer began casual musical studies at a young age, but it was not until she was twenty-eight that her serious musical education began. Shortly afterward, her talents were discovered by prestigious music directors in Germany, such as city music director Carl Lowe.
Upon moving to Berlin in 1847, Mayer began theory and instrumentation lessons with Adolf Marx and Wilhelm Wieprecht, both of whom were contemporaries of Mendelssohn. While studying with Marx, Mayer’s compositional style shifted from classic Viennese to more Romantic. She incorporated tonal shifts, seventh chords, and complex rhythms. Additionally, hints of Mendelssohn’s style are evident in Mayer’s later works.¹ Three years after beginning studies with Marx, Mayer performed her works in a well-received concert. Around this same time, she was awarded the Gold Medal of Art from the Queen of Prussia (Elizabeth of Bavaria.)²
Though she was not very well-known until later in her life, Mayer was considered by many to be “the most prolific German woman composer of the Romantic period.”³ Her completed works include sinfonias, overtures, lieder, choral pieces, and chamber works. Mayer’s works were performed across Europe in the latter part of her life. Unfortunately, most of her compositions have not been performed publicly since her death in 1883. A few can be found in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (Berlin State Library.)⁴ Their website can be accessed here.
Mayer wrote nine sonatas for violin and piano, seven of which are available today. The exact dates of her compositions are unknown. However, most of these sonatas were written between 1863 and 1869. Mayer was in her fifties at the time these pieces were composed. Included below are the six violin sonatas that are considered in a romantic style. The E-Flat Major violin sonata is not included as it sounds more classical in style and will be added to this website soon.
Sonata in D Major for Violin and Piano (~1863)
SONATA INFORMATION
The movements of this Sonata in D Major include the following:
I. Agitato con passione (~8 min)
II. Adagio (~6 min)
III. Scherzo (~3 min)
IV. Finale- Allegro (~6 min)
Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano (~1863)
SONATA INFORMATION
I. Andante - Allegro vivace (~7 min)
II. Scherzo (~6 min)
III. Adagio ma non troppo (~5 min)
IV. Allegro con spirito (~6 min)
Sonata for Piano and Violin in F Major, Op. 17 (~1863)
SONATA INFORMATION
This sonata was dedicated to Mayer’s nephew, Ewald Bertuch.
I. Andante - Allegro con troppo cantabile (~8 min)
II. Adagio non troppo (~5 min)
III. Scherzo, Allegro molto (~5 min)
IV. Allegro (~4 min)
Sonata in A Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 18 (~1864)
SONATA INFORMATION
This piece was dedicated to Professor Leopold von Ranke, Mayer’s colleague and friend.
”Surely this qualifies as a masterpiece. It need fear comparison from any other contemporary sonata and undoubtedly belongs in the front rank of violin sonatas.” -Edition Silvertrust
I. Allegro con brio (~7 min)
II. Adagio - Allegro agitato (~6 min)
III. Adagio - Andante (~6 min)
IV. Allegro con brio (~6 min)
SCORES
1. Manuscript location: Unknown
2. First Edition: IMSLP
3. Second Edition: Hildegard and SheetMusicPlus
4. Third Edition: Edition Silvertrust
RECORDINGS
Aleksandra Maslovaric and Anne-Lise Longuemare: Youtube and Amazon
Sonata in E Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 19 (~1867)
SONATA INFORMATION
This sonata was dedicated to German conductor and composer W. Wieprecht.
I. Allegro agitato (~12 min)
II. Scherzo (~5 min)
III. Adagio (~7 min)
IV. Allegro con brio (~6 min)
Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 29 (~1869)
SONATA INFORMATION
This piece was dedicated to Duchess Caroline Mariane of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (later to become the Princess of Denmark.)
I. Allegro (~7 min)
II. Adagio, molto espressione, man non troppo lento (~4 min)
III. Scherzo (~6 min)
IV. Allegro moderato (~5 min)
Sources
Conway, David Allen. Jewry in Music: Entry to the Profession from the Enlightenment to Richard Wagner. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Haag, John. "Mayer, Emilie (1821–1883)" Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/mayer-emilie-1821-1883.
Rieger, Eva. “Mayer, Emilie.” Oxford Music Online, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.47439.
Ibid.