Elsa Laura Wolzogen facts for kids
Elsa Laura Seemann von Mangern von Wolzogen (born August 5, 1876 – died April 25, 1945) was a German composer, a skilled lute player, and a wonderful singer. She was born and grew up in Dresden, Germany. Her family owned a guesthouse there, which was a popular place for famous artists and smart scholars to stay, like the pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Elsa's childhood in Dresden was filled with music and art because of her family's guesthouse. She was surrounded by creative people, which surely helped her develop her own musical talents. She became very good at playing the lute and singing.
A New Stage: Cabaret and Tours
In 1902, Elsa married Ernst von Wolzogen. Ernst was a very creative person too! In 1901, he opened one of the first cabaret theaters in Germany, called the Buntes Theater, in Berlin. This theater could hold 650 people! Elsa often performed there, singing and playing her lute. The famous Viennese composer Arnold Schoenberg even conducted the theater's orchestra.
Elsa and Ernst decided to share their music with more people. From 1910 to 1911, they toured the United States. People loved Elsa's performances! One critic in 1911 wrote that Elsa Laura could sing songs in ten different languages and many dialects. This shows how versatile and talented she was. She was comfortable singing folk songs from places like Provence in France, and even American folk songs.
Elsa's Musical Creations
Elsa Laura von Wolzogen didn't just perform; she also created her own music. She composed many songs and arranged hundreds of folk songs for voice and lute. These folk songs came from France, Germany, and Scandinavia. Her arrangements were published by Friedrich Hofmeister Musikverlag in Leipzig. She also took poems written by her husband, Ernst, and set them to music.
Some of her known musical works include:
- Death Rides
- Father Weislein
- Five Songs (with words by Ernst and Elsa Wolzogen, music by Juan Manen)
- My Lute and Me (published in 1917)
- My Songs to the Lute (published in 1910)
- Rosemary and Rhombus: Old Lute songs
- Ten Cheerful Little Wise Men (published in 1912)
- Wilhelm Busch Songs
