Sophie Menter

Sophie Menter (later married Popper, born July 29, 1846 in Munich, † February 23, 1918 in Stock village was a German pianist and music teacher.

Life

Sophie Menter was born as the daughter of the cellist Joseph Menter on July 29, 1846 in Munich and started early under the guidance of her mother and her older sisters to play the piano. Your first lessons she received from the then acting in Munich Sigmund Lebert, who later became the founder of the Stuttgart Music School. After the death of her father, she studied from 1857 at the Royal Conservatory in Rheinberger, Leonard and Julius von Kolb and finally privately with Friedrich Niest up to her successful debut on 24 November 1862 in a concert of the Musical Academy in Munich. Then they began to organize their own concerts and do concert tours, the longest of which led them to Switzerland early 1866. Crucial to its disclosure in northern Germany were two performances a year later at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the most prestigious German concert hall, where it was enthusiastically acclaimed. It was followed by a visit to Berlin, where she was with Carl Tausig known and whose student, and a year later a stay in Vienna, where she met Franz Liszt, with whom she was close friends until his death. This estimated Sophie Menter as the best pianist of her time, his last piano concerto is chosen for her.

1868 Menter Hofpianistin of the Prince of Hohenzollern in Lowenberg in Silesia. She married in 1872 the cellist David Popper ( 1843-1913 ), with whom she had a daughter. She was divorced in 1886. It became the k.k. Appointed chamber virtuoso and was from 1883 to 1887 professor at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. During this time she established close contacts with Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein and Rimsky -Korsakov.

From 1887 to 1902 Sophie Menter lived on the already acquired in 1884 by her Itter Castle in Kitzbühel and also in Stock village near Munich, where she died in 1918. The grave Sophie Menters with a wooden Tele is located in the northern part of Munich Südfriedhofs.

Honors

Sophie Menter was the first woman honorary member of the Philharmonic Society in London. The Musikverein Innsbruck also appointed her an honorary member.

Works (selection)

• Hungarian Gypsy Airs for Piano and Orchestra (premiered in 1893 in Odessa)

Student

• Fay Foster
• Jean Micault
• Wassily Lvovitch Sapellnikoff