Composing women were by no means a matter of course in the 18th and 19th centuries. Free artistic creativity was too much at odds with the prevailing cliché of the role of women as mere servants - even if only as muse. This CD brings together three women who, despite this, went their courageous way: Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel (1805-1847), Emilie Mayer (1812-1883) and M. Laura Lombardini Sirmen (1745-1818). While Fanny Hensel, as Felix Mendelssohn's sister, already achieved a certain fame through this relationship, little is known about Mayer and Lombardini today, although they were at least known as performers during their lifetimes, Lombardini even as a violin virtuoso and singer. The Erato Quartet Basel impressively demonstrates that the string quartets of the three can certainly compete with the works of their male contemporaries.
Works:
•Mayer, E: String Quartet
• Mendelssohn, Fanny: String Quartet in E flat major
• Sirmen, M: String Quartet No. 2 in B flat major
• Sirmen, M: String Quartet No. 3 in G minor