Elisabeth Kuyper: Violin Concerto in B minor op 10 (1908)
Elisabeth Kuyper
born 13 September 1877 in Amsterdam
died 26 February 1953 in Muzzano
First performance:
13 February 1908 by Anton Witek (violin) and Max Bruch (conductor).
CD recording:
Aleksandra Maslovoaric 2014
"To be a pioneer in the field assigned to me by my talent - namely, predestined to compose and conduct - means for a woman, today perhaps even more than in the past, to struggle, to struggle for every step that leads forward," wrote the Dutch composer Elisabeth Kuyper in her autobiographical feminist text "My Life's Path" in 1929.* Her first means of expression was the piano, which she studied and played with success. But she felt called to compose and moved from Amsterdam to the former Royal Academy in Berlin, where she was promoted by Max Bruch and encouraged to continue composing. Max Bruch conducted some of her works himself, including the premiere of the Violin Concerto in B minor op 10 on 13 February 1908. "The Violin Concerto was also played repeatedly in various cities with the municipal orchestras. Everything went up in great crescendo - until the world war broke out and the question of nationality became more important than that of talent."*
For her works at that time, she was the first woman to receive the Mendelssohn State Scholarship for Composition from the Academy of Arts (Chairman: the violinist and composer Joseph Joachim). She was even given a position as a composition teacher at the State Academy of Music, albeit with lower pay than her male colleagues. For the rest of her life, she had to fight for the pension entitlement that went with it for men. Her teaching work took up so much of her time that her composing suffered as a result. She also wanted to conquer a career as a conductor. To do this, she had to found her own women's symphony orchestra in Berlin, because getting a conducting position at a German orchestra or opera was hopeless for a woman. However, the enterprise of her own women's orchestra failed due to a lack of financial support. Three more times in her eventful life, in Amsterdam, in London and in New York, the founding of a women's symphony orchestra suffered the same fate: despite admiration and good press, the projects failed. For "the fact that art can also be professional for women and that female orchestra musicians must have an annual salary in order to be able to live, was not properly understood in any country "* Kuyper suffered a nervous breakdown and had to return from New York to Europe in Switzerland, where she gathered new strength and courage in the Engadine and Ticino.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, she withdrew completely to Switzerland, but was not allowed to work professionally. Impoverished, but always composing and here and there - when she was
finally granted a work permit in 1947 - helping out as an assistant conductor, Kuyper spent the rest of her life in Ticino, where she died in Muzzano near Lugano under unexplained circumstances
from poisoning due to a defective petroleum stove. It is not known how many works Kuyper had composed at that time, or whether a second violin concerto still existed in manuscript. We do know
that nine of her works are still missing.
The violinist Aleksandra Masiovaric has rendered great services to the recovery and publication of Elisabeth Kuyper's Violin Concerto in B minor. Unfortunately, her first recording of the
concerto is less successful both interpretationally and violinistically. The urromantic violin concerto urgently deserves a new interpretation and audio recording.
*quoted from: Mein Lebensweg, reprinted in: Frau und Musik, hsg. by Eva Rieger, Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag 1980
Listen here!
Listening companion:
I. Allegro con Fuoco
It should begin fierily: A rhythmic theme in the orchestra immediately sets the scene: The upbeat, triplets and sforzati mark its presence in B minor. Triplets and two approaches to a passionate emotional outburst lead to a subtle change of mood to B major. First the cellos, then oboe and flute together, followed by the violins sing a catchy, indulgent melody. But the rhythmic takes over again afterwards and prepares the preluding entry of the solo violin.
After a brief self-presentation, the violin takes over the concise main theme and transforms it into continuing triplet double-stop runs and rhythmic gimmicks. The orchestra joins in with another rhythmic background motif, while the violin transitions in virtuoso runs and long trills to the resumption of the second melodic theme, now in D major and on the sonorous G string, softly underscored with string and horn sounds. But the orchestra immediately transforms the melody back into rapturous B major, the violin joins in and allows the melody to blossom freely and longingly, though not without occasionally touching on darker and stranger harmonies.
The sound of the horns then prepares the reappearance of the rhythmic main theme in the orchestra. With this, the development begins in radiant B major. The various elements of the theme are modulated in a variety of ways, something that the solo violin immediately picks up on. It enters imaginatively into a harmonically rich and melodious development of the main theme and the vocal theme. The solo violin and orchestra linger beautifully on this rapturous vocal theme, illuminating it anew with their possibilities and allowing it to fray into purely pleasurable playfulness. But emerging accents and sfozati remind us not to forget the main theme.
The recapitulation brings the main theme back to B minor, first in the orchestra, then in the violin. Triplets and rhythm mark its presence, only slowly do violinistic triplet transitions calm the action and lead longingly back to the enchanting cantabile melody, first played by the violin again in D major, then by the orchestra in luminous romantic B major. Once again, the rapturous melody blossoms freely and expressively in the violin, until the orchestra solemnly opens the final coda and the solo violin invites us to a concertante and effective conclusion to this first movement of the concerto.
II. Adagio con molto espressione
Cello and horn sounds create an atmosphere out of which Elisabeth Kuyper conjures up a simple yet romantically expressive violin melody, so that compassionate listening becomes at the same time a deep recollection, as if one had heard all this once before. Once again, the melody seems to know no end of longing and allows the mind and existence to become open and resonate.
A horn joins in as an alter ego, as if it were not good for the violin to be alone. As if the violin were about to take off, it plays out runs and figures with great freedom and exaltation. Until
trumpets and timpani roll call it back to reality. The violin briefly takes over this call, as if it wanted to answer it, but it soon drifts away again into its fantasy world full of play and
virtuosity, where even the fierce insistence of the whole orchestra is of little use.
The play of art and fantasy is stronger and leads back - now an octave higher and even more expressive - to the theme of the beginning. E-flat major and harp accompaniment transfigure this
melody, the horn rejoins and one may simply dream along.
III. Prestissimo
From the dream world of E-flat major, a dancing, almost somewhat serious ascending and descending theme in B minor brings us back to a typical final movement of a violin concerto. The violin
opens and develops the theme violinistically, the orchestra finally takes over the theme in pure form.
A striking second theme, characterised by bordun-like double stops, follows immediately afterwards in the violin and stands out with sharp sforzato notes.
The orchestra then transforms this theme into a solemn interlude before the dance theme shimmers through again in the violin. Here, too, the orchestra and violin artfully play with the themes
until the main dance theme in B minor reasserts itself.
The accentuated second theme in orchestra and violin also reappears, until a grandly resounding orchestral playing prepares the end of the movement.
The violin enters with triplet runs and takes off towards a joyful conclusion. The orchestra marks the second theme again, but also leaves the solo violin the opportunity to present itself
together with the orchestra once more effectively and conclusively.