Auf den Spuren der Louise Japha

For half a century, Louise Japha kept an album with autograph entries of compositions by composers of her time. Two lecture recitals in Freiburg and Emmendingen, jointly organised by the CSMC and the descendants of Louise Japha, brought a little-known chapter of 19th-century music to life.

‘In fond memory Johannes Brahms’ – with these words the 21-year-old Brahms concluded his entry in Louise Japha’s (1826–1910) music album. Such albums, in which composers and musicians left short compositions, texts, or drawings, were widespread in the 19th century. Louise Japha, who later became an internationally renowned composer and pianist, kept her album for 53 years. It includes 15 compositions, some of which have never appeared in print until today.

On 14 and 15 October 2023, two lecture recitals gave insights on this largely unknown chapter in the history of music in the second half of the 19th century. The events consisted of both music performances and short lectures, shedding light on Louise Japha’s life and her album in particular. These concerts were jointly organised by the CSMC and the descendants of Louise Japha and took place at Musikhochschule Freiburg and the church of Emmendingen, respectively. The pieces were performed by Siri Thornhill (soprano) und Pascale Jonczyk (mezzo-soprano), Michael Baumann und Jörn Bartels (piano), and Antonio Pellegrini (violin). Lectures were given by Dorothea Grube and Janine Droese, who is pursuing a research project dedicated to music albums at the CSMC.

‘The interaction between the interpreters, the scholarly approach and the private interest in family history gave the album’s exploration an authenticity that made it a special musical experience for the audience: a fascinating lecture recital.’ — Hildegard Karig, Badische Zeitung, 18 October 2023

(‘Die Beschäftigung mit dem Album erhielt durch das Zusammenwirken von interpretierenden Künstlern, von wissenschaftlichem Zugang und familiengeschichtlichem Privatinteresse eine Authentizität, die für die Zuhörer eine besondere Musikstunde bedeutete: ein Gesprächskonzert von außergewöhnlicher Faszination.’—Hildegard Karig, Badische Zeitung, 18. Oktober 2023)