Josephine Lang facts for kids
Josephine Caroline Lang (born March 14, 1815 – died December 2, 1880) was a talented German composer. Her father, Theobald Lang, was a violinist, and her mother, Regina Hitzelberger, was an opera singer. Josephine's mother taught her to play the piano. By age five, it was clear Josephine had a special gift for music.
She even started giving piano lessons herself when she was just eleven years old. Thanks to her godfather, Joseph Stieler, Josephine met many famous artists of her time. Important composers like Felix Mendelssohn and Ferdinand Hiller helped her learn how to write songs. They also used their connections to help publish her music. Even Robert Schumann published one of her songs in a music magazine called Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1838.
Josephine Lang's Life Story
Josephine Lang was born in Munich, Germany. From a young age, she was often described as not being very strong. This meant she sometimes struggled to keep up with her studies and performances while also staying healthy. Once, during a performance for the king and queen of Bavaria, Queen Caroline Augusta of Bavaria noticed Josephine was not well. The Queen arranged for Josephine to go to Wildbad Kreuth in the German Alps to get better.
While she was there, Josephine met Christian Reinhold Köstlin. He was a lawyer who also enjoyed writing poetry. Everyone said they fell in love and had a very happy marriage. Köstlin was a professor at the University of Tübingen.
Sadly, Köstlin passed away in 1856. Doctors now think he might have had cancer. To support her family, Josephine went back to writing songs and teaching piano. After some money troubles and failed attempts to publish her music, she asked Ferdinand Hiller and Clara Schumann for help. When Clara heard the news, she organized a special concert. Clara played the piano herself, featuring Josephine's music.
Hiller also wrote a story about Josephine's life in 1867 to send to music publishers. Soon after, mostly because of Hiller's story, Josephine became a well-known composer. Her music was finally published, and she became successful.
Her later years were difficult. Josephine lived to see three of her sons pass away. After her two daughters got married in 1868 and 1870, Josephine felt very alone. She also suffered from illness during this time. However, she still kept composing music and teaching piano. Josephine Lang died in Tübingen on December 2, 1880, from a heart attack. She left behind a very important collection of music.
What Music Did Josephine Lang Write?
Josephine Lang wrote many beautiful pieces of music. Most of her work included songs for a singer and piano. She also wrote music just for the piano and some pieces for choirs.
Songs
Josephine wrote many songs, often called "Lieder" in German. She set her music to poems by famous writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, and Heinrich Heine. Some of her song collections include:
- 8 German Lieder, opus 1 (1831)
- 6 Songs, opus 7 (1838)
- 6 Lieder, opus 9 (1841)
- 6 Lieder, opus 26 (1860), which she dedicated to Clara Schumann.
- Songs of Sorrow, opus 29 (1862)
Piano Music
She also composed several pieces for the piano. These pieces often showed different moods or told a story without words. Some of her piano works include:
- Apollo March (1859)
- Elegie on the Death of Ludwig Uhland, opus 31 (1863)
- Songs without Words, opus 35 (1860/1861)
- Wedding March, opus 42 (1878)
(All dates mentioned are when the music was published, not necessarily when it was composed.)
