Johanna von Esterházy

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Frédéric Chopin, Impromptu G flat major op. 51, autograph, inscribed: “dedié à Madame la Comtesse Esterházy née Comtesse Batthyany”, Washington , Library of Congress

Countess Johanna von Esterházy de Galántha, b. Countess Batthyány (born September 5, 1798 - † June 8, 1880 in Vienna ) was a Hungarian harpist and patroness .

Life

The countess received her training mainly from the English harp virtuoso and composer Elias Parish Alvars , who lived in Vienna from 1836 and was appointed imperial chamber virtuoso in 1847. She also became his most important patron, for which he dedicated 27 of his works to her out of gratitude.

She became widely known through Frédéric Chopin , who dedicated his Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, Op. 51, written in autumn 1842 to her . It was first published on July 9, 1843 in the Revue et Gazette musicale de Paris edited by Maurice Schlesinger . Pages 3 and 5 were accidentally reversed, as Chopin complained in a letter to Schlesinger.

In 1852 she acquired today's Villa Schopp in Hietzing , where she lived until her death. It was later significantly rebuilt.

The composer and harpist Johann Dubez was in her service from 1852 to 1881 . He called himself on the title page of his Deux Chansons sans paroles op. 33 "Harpiste de la Comptesse Jeanne Esterházy".

family

She was married to Count Alajos Esterházy de Galántha (1780–1868). The marriage remained childless.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ ÖStA HHStA cabinet archive Staatsrat 1836: 3709
  2. ↑ Frédéric Chopin: Letters , ed. by Krystyna Kobylańska, Berlin 1983, p. 207

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Esterházy, Johanna von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Esterházy de Galántha, Johanna von; Batthyány, Johanna von (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian harpist and patroness
DATE OF BIRTH September 5, 1798
DATE OF DEATH June 8, 1880
Place of death Vienna