Amanda Maier-Röntgen (1853-1894)

Donald Macleod & Dr Jennifer Martyn explore the remarkable,
tragic story of gifted violinist and composer, Amanda Maier


Amanda Maier was one of the 19th century’s 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’s 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. 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 Röntgen, with whom she enjoyed a
close and loving relationship in music and in life.


Music Featured:


Violin Sonata in B minor (3rd mvt) Preludes in E major, G sharp
minor, and E flat major Violin Sonata in B minor (2nd mvt) Den
sjuka flickans sång (“Song of a sick girl”) Carl Reinecke:
Symphony No 2 “Hakon Jarl” (1st mvt) Piano Trio in E flat major
(3rd and 4th mvts) Aftonklockan (“The Evening Clock”) Violin
Sonata in B minor (1st mvt) Julius Röntgen: Serenade for Wind No
1, Op 14 (1st mvt) Piano Trio in E flat major (2nd mvt) Violin
Concerto in D minor Sången (“Song”) Nine Pieces for violin and
piano Piano Trio in E flat major (1st mvt) Karol Lipinski: Violin
Concerto No 2 “Militaire” (2nd mvt) Nacht-mittags Potpourri (St
Nicholas-Schwank) St Nicholas-Schwank (excerpt) String Quartet in
A minor (2nd and 3rd mvts) Grieg: Sarabande (Holberg Suite)
Swedish Tunes and Dances Allegretto (Zwiegespräche) Piano Quartet
in E minor (1st and 2nd mvts) Brahms: Violin Sonata No 3 (1st
mvt) Zwiegespräche (excerpts) Piano Quartet in E minor (3rd and
4th mvts)


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Steven Rajam for BBC
Audio Wales and West


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Amanda Maier-Röntgen
(1853-1894) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zmwn


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z