Anna Fröhlich]
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Fröhlich, Anna dürften die vier Schwestern Fröhlich für die Kunst, na- mentlich für den Gesang, mehr gewirkt haben als so man- che Europa=berühmte Amazone von der Kehle, und wur- den in dankbarer Anerkennung ihrer regen Theilnahme, ihrer unermüdlichen Bestrebungen für diese classischen Concerte von allen Mitgliedern dieses Kunstvereines als die Stützen desselben betrachtet und bewundert.“ (“The participants [at the Kiesewetters’ house] were, as usual, professional musicians or exceptional amateur mu- sicians from the capital [Vienna]. The women’s choir – sopranos and altos – was made up of the more senior sin- ging students from the local conservatorium, directed by their teacher, Miss Nanette Fröhlich [Anna Fröhlich]. Re- cently, the solo parts have been entrusted to her private students or to her sister Josephine Fröhlich, who rise sparkling to the occasion every time. Indeed, the four Fröhlich sisters may have done more for art, and especial- ly for the art of song, than many a Europe-famous vocal Amazon, and were thankfully appreciated for their active participation, their tireless efforts for these classical con- Anna Fröhlich, Portrait von Emanuel Peter, 1830 certs, by all the members of this art society, who consider and admire them as the pillars of said society.”) Anna Fröhlich Birth name: Maria Anna Fröhlich („Aus Wien“ [Report on house concerts by Raphael Ge- org Kiesewetter]. In: Jahrbücher des Deutschen National- * 19 September 1793 in Wien, Österreich vereins für Musik und die Wissenschaft 4.1842, pp. † 11 March 1880 in Wien, Österreich 311-312, see also Waidelich 1997) The date of birth is unclear: both the 19th and the 30th Profile of November, 1793, have been named. It also cannot be established if this date refers to the date of baptism and The singer and pianist Anna Fröhlich features in music if the date of birth is sometime earlier. history mostly as a member of Schubert’s friendship circ- le. However, of equal importance is her formative role in Singer (Soprano), Pianist, Singing Teacher, Piano the history of the ‘Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde’ [Socie- Teacher, Patron, Correspondent ty of Music Friends] in Vienna and in the tradition of pri- vate music making. Together with her sisters, she hosted „Die Mitwirkenden [im Hause Kiesewetter] waren und numerous musical evenings in her home. As the eldest of sind gewöhnlich Künstler vom Fache oder doch ausge- the Fröhlich sisters and an active singing teacher, Anna zeichnete Dilettanten der Hauptstadt [Wien]. Der weibli- contributed significantly to the family’s wellbeing. che Chor – Soprani und Alti – besteht aus den Gesangs- schülerinnen der höhern Classe des hiesigen Conservato- Anna Fröhlich’s musical training began with her mother riums unter der unmittelbaren Leitung ihrer Lehrerin, and continued through personal encounters within va- des Fräuleins Nanette Fröhlich [d.i. Anna Fröhlich]; die rious musical circles, through regular music making in Solostimmen wurden in der letztern Zeit den Privat- different contexts and through the almost daily outings Schülerinnen der Letzern oder ihrer Schwester Josephi- to the theatre and the opera. In this way, she grew into ne Fröhlich anvertraut, und dieses Vertrauen nie ge- the musical life around her. Her active participation as a täuscht, jedesmal glänzend gerechtfertigt. Ueberhaupt pianist and singer in private and semi-public concert eve- nings, and her spontaneous singing and playing of newly – 1 – Fröhlich, Anna composed music, show a life centred around music. Not As a pianist, Anna Fröhlich’s training was based on the only did she diligently nurture relationships with artisti- Johann Nepomuk Hummel method. At this point, howe- cally and culturally likeminded people, but such contacts ver, it is not clear whether she worked with him personal- formed an integral part of her everyday life. ly or with his ‘Klavierschule’, published in 1828. Accord- Her appearances as a singer show a clear focus on reper- ing to the source: Sie “benützte noch besonders Hum- toire for multiple voices (duets, trios, quartets). Even the mels Schule, wurde dadurch eine ausgezeichnete Pianis- Schubert compositions that were inspired or commissio- tin” (“she used Hummel’s School especially, and thus be- ned by Anna fall into this category. One sees her commit- came an outstanding pianist”; Schilling, 1842, p. 104). ment to the arts not just in her support for Schubert and his works, but in her way of thinking in general. As early as 1814, Anne Fröhlich appeared in the newly formed ‘Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde’ [Society of Fri- Cities an countries ends of Music] as a “practising member” (Blaha, 2002, p. Apart from occasional trips for personal reasons such as 41; see also ‘Monatbericht’ 1829) and was connected to stays at a health spa or visits to the countryside, Anna the society and the conservatorium for decades, not only Fröhlich did not leave Vienna. as a participant in their musical events but, in due cour- se, as a singing teacher. In April 1819, the ‘Konservatori- Biography um der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde’, as it is known to- Anna Fröhlich was the eldest of the four Fröhlich sisters day, created a third singing class for her, the highest le- (Barbara Fröhlich, married name Bogner, Katharina vel offered at the time. Anna’s sister, Josephine Fröhlich, Fröhlich, Josephine Fröhlich) and was born in Vienna on was one of her students there in 1819/20. Numerous posi- September 19th, 1793. Her parents, Mathias (1765-1843) tive reports about Anna’s students’ performances testify and Barbara, nee Mayr (1764-1841) came from Potten- to her competence as a singing teacher, for example: dorf in Lower Austria and lived in Vienna/Weiden, a sub- “Dieser Erfolg [der Schülerin Francisca Goldberg] ge- urb of Vienna at the time, where they ran business main- reicht der Lehrerinn für die Classe der höheren Ausbil- taining wine barrels. Her father called himself a ‘Wein- dung im Gesang, Dlle. Anna Fröhlich, um so mehr zur schlagmacher’, but was also involved in charity works as Ehre, als die Schwierigkeit sehr groß ist, noch größtent- a so-called ‘Armenvater’. From 1811, the family lived in heils physisch und psychisch unentwickelte Mädchen in inner-city Vienna at Singerstraße 18 (still standing to- einer Kunst zu bilden, bey welcher die Überwindung me- day), although their mother initially lived separately chanischer Schwierigkeiten nicht allein hinreicht, son- from her husband and daughters. From 1826, the family dern wo unmittelbar das Herz zum Herzen sprechen lived at Spiegelgasse 21 (no longer standing today, see muß, und wobey selbst der Unterricht immer durch die Blaha, 2002, p.35-37), where Franz Grillparzer later took nöthige Rücksicht auf den niedrigen Grad der Entwick- a room in 1849, following the deaths of Barbara and Ma- lung gehemmt ist.” (“This success [of the student Francis- thias Fröhlich. Anna, Katharina and Josephine Fröhlich ca Goldberg] is of even greater credit to her teacher, Miss looked after him until his death in 1872 (see especially → Anna Fröhlich, as it is very difficult to train young girls, Katharina Fröhlich). The homes in Singerstraße and Spie- who, for the most part, are still physically and psychologi- gelgasse were two of Vienna’s musical centres, regularly cally undeveloped, in an art where overcoming mechani- frequented by artists, intellectuals and writers. cal difficulties alone does not suffice, but rather, the he- art must speak directly to other hearts, and where the More on Biography early stage of development must always be taken into ac- According to letters, the children were introduced to mu- count in lessons”; Der Sammler, 97 from August 14th, sic through their mother and received “elementary les- 1834, p. 389). sons” (Schilling, 1840, p. 69) in Vienna from the choir- master at Karlskirche, Michael Hanss (1767-1825). Giu- Anna Fröhlich taught at the conservatorium for around seppe Siboni (1780-1839), who first visited Vienna from 35 years, with a break while the school was closed betwe- 1810-1814 and remained friendly with the family for en 1848 and 1851, until her somewhat involuntary retire- many years, has been named as a singing teacher to the ment in 1854 (Pohl, 1871, p. 38; Hennenberg, 2013, pp. four sisters, although there is no evidence of regular les- 380-382). In conflicts that arose with the running of the sons. society and at the conservatorium, Anne Fröhlich was – 2 – Fröhlich, Anna supported by friends of the family, Franz Grillparzer and selbst Partituren vom Blatte. Auch singt sie alles Vorge- Leopold Sonnleithner (see below; Sauer, 1924, pp. legte prima vista.” (“The oldest sister plays with great 257-258). Despite this support, she ultimately fought in skill and precision on the pianoforte, and sight-reads bet- vain against the rising pressure for her to focus her tea- ter and more correctly than some Kapellmeister. Also, ching more on opera singing (Blaha, 2002, p. 246; Hen- she sings everything presented to her ‘prima vista’.”; Cas- nenberg, 2013, pp. 380-381). Her successor was the telli, 1824, p. 128) much younger opera singer and belcanto specialist Mat- hilde Marchesi (1821-1913). Parallel to her teaching at On December 1st, 1820, the legendary first performance the conservatorium and in the time following her retire- of Schubert’s “Erlkönig” took place in front of an audien- ment, Anna Fröhlich had numerous private students. ce, sung by August Ritter von Gymnich with Anna Fröhli- ch at the piano. Schubert was a regular guest at the “mu- Between 1818 and 1840, Anna Fröhlich was regularly na- sical exercises” at the Sonnleithners’, where he would oc- med as a singer and pianist in the Gesellschaft der Musik- casionally accompany performances of his own songs on freunde’s so-called ‘Abend-Unterhaltungen’ [Evening En- the piano. Among the musicians and singers who perfor- tertainments] that took place between 1818 and 1856, fea- med there were, in addition to Anna Fröhlich, her sisters turing chamber music and vocal music for solo and multi- Barbara and Josephine (Böcking, 1862, pp.