Caroline Schneider Wiseneder (August 20, 1807 – August 25, 1868) was a German composer and music educator who developed a musical notation system for the blind, as well as a

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

music curriculum. She was born in

Braunschweig Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the Nor ...

, and married an opera singer named Wiseneder. She founded several singing societies, in addition to the Wiseneder Music School for the Blind in 1860, which became the model for several schools throughout Germany. Her method for teaching instrumental music to young children was adopted by the national kindergarten movement established in Germany about 1873. Among other teaching tools, Caroline used toy orchestra instruments which were carefully tuned to harmonize together. She believed that children should always be accompanied by an instrument when they sang. After her death, a marble bust of Caroline was placed in the Braunschweig town library in honor of her achievements. Caroline composed many melodramas, songs, and educational works, including:

Books

*Selection of Songs and Games from the Kindergarten of the Music Education School in Braunschweig , with an Appendix for the Elementary Class (editor) *Song and Movement Games

Opera

*Das Jubelfest, oder Die drei Gefangenen (The Jubilee, or The Three Prisoners), 1849 *Die Palastdame (The Palace Lady), 1848 *La Dame de Paris (The Lady of Paris)

Vocal

*Abschied (Farewell), opus 9 *Die Kraft der Erinnerungen (The Power of Memories), opus 8 (words by

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

, translated to German by Wilhelm Gerhard) *Es Sitzt eine Jungfrau gefangen (A Virgin is Trapped), opus 16 *Four Lieder, opus 13 (for baritone) *Four Lieder, opus 15 *Frühling Frühling wie bist du schön (Spring, Spring, How Beautiful You Are!) *Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben (I Can't Grasp It, Nor Believe It) *Lebewohl an Maria (Farewell to Maria), opus 10 *Six Lieder, opus 12 (for mezzo-soprano) *Two Poems, opus 11

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiseneder, Caroline German women composers 1807 births 1868 deaths Musicians from Braunschweig Education in Germany Musical notation Kindergarten Blind activists German music educators