Two Teenage Countesses
Two Teenage Countesses
Chapter five analyzes the repertoire associated with female musicians on the basis of the remarkably well-preserved music library of two teenage countesses in Darmstadt: Luise Charlotte and Friederike Sophie zu Epstein. Pedagogical treatises and parodies of Bach’s Germany suggest that female keyboardists were expected to perform “easy,” “comfortable,” music which was often marketed explicitly “for women.” Most of the repertoire prepared for the Countesses zu Epstein by their teacher, Johannes Merle, follows these stylistic parameters; it consists primarily of quick, dance-based movements with melody-and-accompaniment textures and no strict counterpoint. Close examination of their collection, however, also reveals that they copied music for themselves and one of them, Friederike Sophie, also taught herself to compose.
Keywords: Countesses zu Epstein, Johannes Merle, Darmstadt, Music for Women, Easy Music, Teenage Girls, Compositions by Women
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