Natalia Janotha facts for kids
Natalia Janotha (born June 8, 1856 – died June 9, 1932) was a talented Polish pianist and composer. She was known for her amazing piano skills and for writing many musical pieces.
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Her Life Story
Natalia Janotha was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father, Juliusz Janotha, was a composer and a teacher at the Music Institute in Warsaw. Natalia started playing piano when she was very young, learning from her father. Later, she studied music in Berlin with famous teachers like Ernst Rudorff, Woldemar Bargiel, and Clara Schumann. She might have even had lessons from Johannes Brahms, another great composer!
Natalia gave her first public performance in 1868. After that, she traveled all over Europe, playing concerts as a professional pianist.
A Special Connection to Chopin
Natalia was especially good at playing the music of Frédéric Chopin. Chopin's sister was a very close friend of Natalia's mother. Natalia even got advice from one of Chopin's own students, Princess Czartoryska. This special connection helped her understand Chopin's music deeply.
In 1885, Natalia became the Imperial Court pianist in Berlin. This was a very important job, playing for the royal family.
A Mountain Climber
Natalia Janotha was not just a musician; she was also a brave mountain climber! She was known for wearing men's trousers when climbing, which was unusual for women at that time. In 1883, she became the first woman to climb Gerlach, which is the highest mountain in the Carpathian Mountains.
Life in London and The Hague
Natalia lived in London for a few years. However, during World War I (around 1915), she had to leave London. This was because she was the German court pianist, and the political situation made it difficult for her to stay. She then moved to The Hague in the Netherlands. In The Hague, she played piano for a dancer named Angèle Sydow.
Natalia Janotha passed away in The Hague on June 9, 1932.
What People Said About Her
Mary Drew once said, "I am very happy to hear that Miss Janotha is helping people understand Chopin's music. She truly loves his work, and I believe no one alive can do it better."
Natalia was also known for her unique habits during performances. Harold C. Schonberg, a music critic, mentioned that she would only play if her black cat, "Prince White Heather," was on stage where she could see him. She also kept a prayer book on the piano. He once described her playing a piece called "Gavotte impériale" as "a really funny piece of music, and she plays it with great energy!"
Her Musical Works
Natalia Janotha composed about 400 musical pieces, mostly for the piano. Some of her well-known works include:
- Mountain Scenes (dedicated to Clara Schumann)
- Gavotte impériale (1890)
- Deutscher Kaiser Marsch : op. 9 (1895)
- Tatras
- The Impression from Zakopane
- Morskie Oko
- Sabala
- Gerlach
- Kościelisko
- Bandit
- Polonaise funèbre : pour piano : op. 100 (1928)
- Cadenzas for Beethoven's Pianoforte Concerto in G : Op. 58
Natalia Janotha also helped translate and edit books about Chopin. These books included:
- Chopin's Greater Works by Jan Kleczyński (which explained how to understand Chopin's music)
- Chopin as revealed by extracts from his diary by Stanisław Tarnowski
See also
In Spanish: Natalia Janotha para niños
