Karl August Krebs (Miedke) was born in Nuremburg in 1804, and was a piano student of J.B.Krebs, who adopted him. Karl became a fine musician and made concert tours as a pianist. In 1826-27 he was made third conductor of the Vienna Opera, and went on to become conductor of the Dresden and Hamburg operas.
His wife was a popular opera singer, Aloysia Michalesi, whom he met and married while in Dresden. These two musicians were the parents of Mary, who was born in Dresden on December 5,1851.
Musical Education of Mary Krebs
Mary's mother was said to have given her daughter a thorough foundation in the elements of piano playing while the little girl was very young. Her further study was under the direction of her father. He allowed her to play in a concert of the Dresden Concert Society when she was but nine years old, and this was followed by many appearances in the local area.
In October, 1863, she played at a concert arranged for her at Dresden where she was soloist with the Royal Orchestra. She also performed at at a Euterpe concert in Leipzig and following that she played at Bremen, Hamburg and at a Court Concert in Dresden.
Concert Appearances of the 12 Year Old Krebs
In 1863 the twelve-year old pianist fulfilled engagements in England and was contracted by a Mr.Gye, who was the director of the Italian Opera at Covent Garden, London, to play there for four consecutive years. Krebs played at 170 of these concerts featuring the works of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Weber and others and she proved to be so popular in England that she toured there regularly.
At the age of thirteen she was favored with the title 'Royal Pianiste' by King John of Saxony and she toured with the famous soprano Adelina Patti, visiting Trieste, Bologna, Venice, Florence and Genoa. She also toured the south of France.
Sophie Menter and the "Feud"
At one time there was supposed to have been a feud between Mary and the celebrated pianist Sophie Menter. It went on for some time and seemed to be of great interest to the public.For the story of the 'feud' between Mary and Sophie Menter go to Sophie Menter.
For the rest of her life Mary toured and played in such places as Prague, Riga, Mitau, Wolmar, St.Petersburg, Moscow and Warsaw. She toured the United States in 1870 and found herself in Chicago at the time of the fire
She married the royal equerry Theodore Brenning in 1887, but continued her concert career until death took her at the age of forty-nine in 1901.
Sources
Celebrated Pianists of the Past and Present A.Ehrlich Theodore Presser Philadelphia 1894
The New Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians The Macmillan Company 1929
For further reading about female pianists see
Three Female Pianists of the Past
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