Leopoldine Blahetka facts for kids
Marie Leopoldine Blahetka (born November 16, 1809 – died January 17, 1885) was an Austrian pianist and composer. She was a child prodigy who started performing at a young age. Leopoldine became well-known for her piano playing and for writing her own music.
Leopoldine Blahetka's Life Story
Leopoldine Blahetka was born in Guntramsdorf, a town close to Vienna, Austria. Her parents were George and Barbara Blahetka. Her father taught history and math. Her mother was a musician who played and taught the physharmonica, a type of keyboard instrument. Leopoldine's grandfather, Andreas Traeg, was also a composer in Vienna.
Her family later moved to Vienna. There, her father worked for the Traeg music publishing company. Leopoldine started learning piano from her mother. She performed for the first time in public in 1818, when she was only nine years old!
After her first performance, Leopoldine continued her music studies. She learned from many famous teachers. Some of her piano teachers included Joseph Czerny, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, and Ignaz Moscheles. She also studied how to write music (composition) with Simon Sechter.
In 1821, Leopoldine began traveling around Europe to perform. Her mother always went with her. She continued these concert tours for about 20 years, sharing her music with many people. Around 1830, her family moved to Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. They hoped the warmer climate there would be better for their health. Leopoldine Blahetka passed away in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
What Leopoldine Blahetka Composed
Leopoldine Blahetka wrote many pieces of music during her life. These works often included piano, sometimes with other instruments. Here are some of her selected compositions, listed by their "opus" (work number):
- op. 9, Grande polonaise concertante pour le piano forte et violoncello (A big polonaise for piano and cello)
- op. 13, Variations sur un thème favorite (Variations on a favorite tune)
- op. 14, Variations brillantes (Brilliant variations)
- op. 15, Sonate for violin (A sonata for violin)
- op. 16, Nr. 1, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Die Nebelbilder (German Songs: The Foggy Images)
- op. 16, Nr. 2, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Der Getröstete (German Songs: The Comforted One)
- op. 16, Nr. 3, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Die Totenklage (German Songs: The Lament for the Dead)
- op. 16, Nr. 4, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Die fernen Berge (German Songs: The Distant Mountains)
- op. 16, Nr. 5, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Sehnsucht (German Songs: Longing)
- op. 16, Nr. 6, 6 Deutsche Lieder: Matrosenlied (German Songs: Sailor's Song)
- op. 18, Variations brillantes sur un thème hongrois (Brilliant variations on a Hungarian theme)
- op. 19, Polonaise D-Dur (Polonaise in D major)
- op. 20, Variations brillantes sur le Siège de Corinthe (Brilliant variations on 'The Siege of Corinth')
- op. 25, Konzertstück for piano and (optional) string quartet or orchestra (Concert piece for piano with strings or orchestra)
- op. 26, Six Valses avec Trio et Coda (Six waltzes with trio and coda)
- op. 26a, Variationen über ein Thema aus der Oper 'Die Stumme' von Portici (Variations on a theme from the opera 'The Mute Girl of Portici')
- op. 27, Variations sur un thème tyrolien (Variations on a Tyrolean theme)
- op. 28, Variations sur la chanson nationale autrichienne Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (Variations on the Austrian national anthem 'God Save Emperor Francis')
- op. 29, Variations sur un thème de Gallenberg (Variations on a theme by Gallenberg)
- op. 32, Rastlose Liebe (Restless Love)
- op. 39, Introduction and Variations for flute and piano
- op. 43, Piano Quartet
- op. 44, 2nd Piano Quartet (Second Piano Quartet)
- op. 47, Grand Duo (for Piano 4-hands) (Grand Duo for two players at one piano)
- op. 48, Capriccio for Piano
