Teresa Carreño (1853 – 1917) was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to a musical family. She was her whole life active as pianist, singer, composer, and conductor – she was one of the foremost touring virtuosos of her time and had a very successful career.
She began as a child prodigy (she played for Abraham Lincoln at the White House in 1863). Over the course of her 54-year concert career, she became an internationally renowned virtuoso pianist and was often referred to as the "Valkyrie of the Piano". Carreño was an early adopter of the works of one of her students, American composer and pianist Edward MacDowell (1860–1908) and premiered several of his compositions across the globe. She also frequently performed the works of Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). Several composers dedicated their compositions to Carreño, including Amy Beach (Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor) and Edward MacDowell (Piano Concerto No. 2). In addition to building an international career as a pianist, this versatile artist was also an opera singer and impresario.
Carreño mainly resided and performed in the United States, although for a number of years she also lived in Germany. While there, in 1890, she became acquainted with Scottish-born German pianist and composer Eugen d'Albert. Their musical friendship turned romantic and by late 1891 they set up house together. They were married in 1892 and soon had two daughters. During their marriage, the couple often appeared on the same concert bill and Carreño began performing works by d'Albert, including his Piano Concerto no. 2, Op. 12. However, D'Albert was a "control freak" in matters related to child rearing, household management, and even Carreño's repertoire choices. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1895.
Carreño composed approximately 75 works for solo piano, voice and piano, choir and orchestra, and instrumental ensemble. The majority of her works were composed before 1875. Many of her compositions were virtuoso vehicles for her piano
appearances, but later in her career, when she lived in Berlin in the 1890s, she also composed two serious and important works for
strings: Serenade for String Orchestra (ca. 1895) and the String Quartet in
B-minor (1896). The latter was performed by the Klinger Quartet in
the Leipzig Gewandhaus in 1896.
The quartet is rich and emotional, characteristic of the late romantic style. It is played below by Jennifer Leckie and Rasa Mahmoudian, violins, Seth Pae, viola, and Tom Clowes, cello.
Women Composers Index
Allegro:
Andante con larghezza:
Allegro ma non troppo
Allegro Risoluto