Verne, Mathilde (1865–1936)
Verne, Mathilde (1865–1936)
English pianist who was especially known for her chamber concert performances. Born Mathilde Wurm on May 25, 1865, in Southampton, England; died in London on June 4, 1936; daughter of Bavarian music teachers; sister of Alice Verne Bredt (1868–1958) and Adela Verne (1877–1952); cousin of the artist Sir Hubert von Herkomer; studied with Franklin Taylor and Clara Schumann.
Born in Southampton, England, in 1865, Mathilde Verne studied first with her parents and then with Clara Schumann in Frankfurt am Main. Verne had a successful career in England, and from 1907 until her death gave a series of chamber music concerts. In 1909, she established her own school, which produced many excellent pianists. Her sisters Alice Verne Bredt and Adela Verne gained considerable fame as teachers and concert performers. On June 4, 1936, while celebrating the publication of her memoirs Chords of Remembrance, about 100 of her pupils and friends gathered at a party at the Savoy Hotel in London. After she played a Schumann concerto with her sister Adela, while one of her students began to sing the "Ave Maria," Mathilde Verne collapsed and died.
suggested reading:
Verne, Mathilde. Chords of Remembrance. London: Hutchinson, 1936.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia