Celebrating Women Composers, 10 August 2023

This week at WAAPA I was involved in a concert celebrating female composers from throughout history. I played two works ("Romance" and "Petite Valse") by Sophie Menter (1846-1918), the great nineteenth century piano virtuoso, who studied with Liszt in her twenties. She was unquestionably one of the most successful artists of the age, and even Liszt remarked to his friend Janka Wohl that Menter was among the top pianists he ever heard. As a pianist Menter combined an elegant and noble sensibility with the so-called "grand manner" of playing, a style associated with many of the famous nineteenth century virtuosi. We can get a glimpse of Menter's performance style from the few Hupfeld piano rolls she made. I have very much enjoyed playing her wonderful compositions, and did my best to bring her style of performance to life.