Menter, Sophie (1846–1918)
Menter, Sophie (1846–1918)
German pianist, one of Liszt's best students, who composed several pieces which were orchestrated by Tchaikovsky and which she played with him as conductor. Name variations: Sofie Menter. Born in Munich, Germany, on July 29, 1846; died in Munich on February 23, 1918; taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1883 to 1887.
Born in Munich in 1846, Sophie Menter studied with Carl Tausig and then with Franz Liszt. She was perhaps Liszt's greatest female student and had a highly successful career. Liszt believed her to be "of exceptional virtuosity … an incomparable pianist … a pianist of the highest rank." In 1881, the aging composer went to Rome to attend a concert by Menter, reporting that her playing was "absolutely faultless" and compared favorably with the three or four most famous male pianists. Ernst Pauer praised her for "nobility of feeling, tenderness and warmth of expression," noting that her "technical execution baffles description." From 1883 to 1887, Menter taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. As a composer, she created a number of attractive pieces including Ungarische Zigeunerweisen for Piano and Orchestra, which was orchestrated by Tchaikovsky and played by Menter under Tchaikovsky's baton in Odessa on February 4, 1893.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia