Musical Sunday

Born in Rastatt in 1850, the recording artist Luise Adolpha Le Beau, a student of Clara Schumann and Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger, among others, made a name for herself as a pianist and composer in equal measure. Her chamber music works in particular, such as the Piano Quartet op. 28, which premiered at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, enjoyed great recognition. Despite her successes, she suffered throughout her life from the male-dominated concert business, as people repeatedly tried to dismiss her as a dilettante because of her lack of academic training. She was a strong advocate for equal rights for women in artistic professions.

Two enthusiasts of music have their say here: Marcus Imbsweiler publishes novels, including stories about composers; Timo Jouko Herrmann is a composer, violinist and guest conductor of the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra.