Margarete Schweikert facts for kids
Margarete Schweikert (born February 16, 1887 – died March 13, 1957) was a talented German musician. She was a composer, a music critic, a violinist, and a pianist. She wrote many pieces, including about 160 songs, chamber music, and even a children's operetta called The Frog King.
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A Musician's Life
Margarete Schweikert was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. She was the only child of Friedrich and Luise Petry Schweikert. Her father sold insurance, but he was also a music critic. He gave Margarete her first violin lessons. Her mother played the piano and helped manage their family's jewelry store.
Early Studies and First Works
Margarete went to the Munz Conservatory and the Baden Conservatory. Today, the Baden Conservatory is known as the Baden University of Music. She learned from several important teachers, including Joseph Haas and Karl Wendling.
In 1912, Margarete published her first collection of songs. It was called Six Songs for a Singing Voice and Piano. A year later, in 1913, her children's operetta The Frog King was performed for the first time. This operetta was based on a story by Erika Ebert. During this time, Margarete also gave violin concerts all over southern Germany. Sometimes, she would even play her own music during these concerts.
Family Life
In 1923, Margarete married Hermann Voigt. They had a daughter named Christiane in 1924. Margarete changed her name to Voigt-Schweikert. However, she continued to publish her music and writings using her original name, "Margarete Schweikert."
Her Musical Creations
Margarete Schweikert wrote about music for several newspapers. These included the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung and the Neue Musikzeitung. Her music was published by companies like Fritz Müller.
Composing Songs
Margarete composed over 160 songs! She used words from many different writers for her songs. Some of these writers included Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, and Hermann Hesse.
Leadership in the Arts
In 1950, Margarete became an expert advisor for music. She worked for an organization called GEDOK. This group was for German and Austrian female artists. From 1955 until she passed away in 1957, she was the director of GEDOK.
Preserving Her Work
Margarete Schweikert's important papers are kept in the Badische Landesbibliothek Karlsruhe. These papers include her piano and organ pieces, all 160 of her songs, and her chamber music. They also have her handwritten memoir, which is like her life story in her own words.
