Presents
Emilie Mayer
Piano Trio e minor, Op.12
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.12 Piano Trio in e minor was published in 1861. It was dedicated to her brother, Dr. Eduard Mayer. 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 Allegro begins in energetic fashion before several lyrical subjects are introduced one after the other. A powerful and thrusting Scherzo comes second. The Un poco Adagio which is in third place is lovely and delicate. The piano states the initial theme which is rather somber until it is embellished by the strings. The pounding finale, Allegro assai, has Beethoven's Op.1 piano trios as its antecedent, however, the parts for the strings, especially the cello, is far better than the Op.1 of Beethoven. Of note is the fact that Mayer seems to have escaped the influence of Mendelssohn with whom she had been in close contact.
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
