Famous Concert Pianist Sophie Menter
A Leading Female Pianist of the Nineteenth Century
Sep 26, 2008
She was born at Munich, Germany, on July 29,1846, and received her first piano training with her mother... her father being the well-known 'cellist Joseph Menter. Her later teachers were Siegmund Lebert and the other founders of the Stuttgart Conservatory. She also studied with Karl Tausig, Hans von Bulow and, of course, Franz Liszt. She made her public debut in 1863 after which she was on her way to a successful career as a concert pianist.
At the time Sophie was embarking on her career there were several other women pianists who were also on that path. They included Teresa Carreno, Clotilde Kleeberg, Arabella Goddard, Marie Krebs-Brenning, Clara Schumann, Annette Essipova and Anna Mehlig. An interesting story that was passed around in musical circles was that of a 'feud' between Sophie and Marie Krebs-Brenning.
Sophie Menter and Mary Krebs-Brenning
Mary was also a fine pianist and apparently people divided into factions...one side for Mary and the other for Sophie. Who was the greater pianist?
After months of this gossip and conjecture Mary's mother called on Sophie Menter and said, "Children, you must bear with each other." The two agreed to dine together and later were seen walking arm in arm in public. They later both appeared at a soiree Count Waldstein gave at his palace and became good friends.
Sophie met Karl Tausig in Leipzig, where she was appearing in concert at the Gewandhaus. He proposed a concert in Berlin after which she became his pupil, and a very diligent pupil she was...practicing as much as ten hours a day. Later, in 1868, she was appointed Court Pianist to the Prince of Hohenzollern at Lowenburg in Silesia.
Sophie Menter and Franz Liszt
The following year Menter met the great pianist Franz Liszt in Vienna, and was soloist in a performance of his Piano Concerto in E-Flat which brought great praise from the composer. Liszt joined her in a performance of his Concerto Pathetique for two pianos which they played at a private party. From that time onward Liszt continued to perform with her and was "passionately devoted" to her. Their relationship continued until hie death in in 1886.
Sophie lived a fairytale life: she was lionized by the public...the King of Sweden told her she made the piano sing, she was made an honorary member of the London Philharmonic Society and in Copenhagen some students unharnessed her horses and drew the carriage in which she was riding themselves. She was also a favorite of the Queen of Spain.
From 1872 to 1886 Sophie was married to the famed 'cellist David Popper. In 1883 she was made professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. An extremely beautiful woman,she resided in a castle at Itter in the Tyrol, and died in Munich in 1918.
Sources
Celebrated Pianist of the Past and Present A.Ehrlich Theodore Presser Philadalphia 1894
The New Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians The Macmillan Company 1924
For further reading about pianists see Famous Female Pianists of the Past
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