Johanne Amalie Stockmarr (1869–1944) was a Danish

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

who was recognized for her virtuosity in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

, Britain,

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Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and

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, receiving several awards. One of her most notable concerts was in 1906 in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

when she played Grieg's Piano Concerto under the composer's leadership.

Biography

Born on 21 April 1869 in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, Stockmarr was the daughter of the violinist Ferdinand Tycho Nicolai Stockmarr (1835–34) and Ane Emilie Raun (1842–1911). She was born into a well established family of musicians, including an uncle and two of her cousins, all of whom encouraged her to play the piano. In 1885, she began studying at the

Royal Danish Academy of Music The Royal Danish Academy of Music, or Royal Danish Conservatory of Music ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium), in Copenhagen is the oldest professional institution of musical education in Denmark as well as the largest, with approxima ...

under

Edvard Helsted Edvard (or Eduard) Mads Ebbe Helsted (8 December 1816 – 1 March 1900) was a Danish composer. He was born in Copenhagen and died in Fredensborg. He is buried in Asminderød Cemetery. See also *List of Danish composers A list of notable D ...

. After appearing in a concert at the Casino Theatre in 1889, she received a grant which enabled her to continue her studies in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

under the pianist Henri Fissot (1843–96). On her return to Copenhagen, she completed her studies under

Franz Neruda Franz Xaver Neruda (or František) (3 December 1843 – 19 March 1915) was a Czech-Danish cellist and composer of Moravian origin. Life Franz Xaver Neruda was born in Brno into a musical family. He was the fifth child of the organist of Brno ...

. With Neruda conducting, from 1892 she appeared in a number of concerts in Copenhagen, notably at the Musikforeningen in 1898 where she played Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto. She went on to perform more widely in Scandinavia, England and Germany, often together with Neruda's sister, the violinist Wilhelmine Neruda who lived in London where she was known as Lady Hallé. Hallé introduced her to

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

, whom she played for when she visited Denmark. Back in London, she established a close relationship with Alexandra, playing four-handed pieces with her. She was also the piano teacher of

Queen Alexandrine Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (24 December 1879 – 28 December 1952) was List of Danish consorts, Queen of Denmark from 1912 to 1947, as well Monarchy of Iceland, Queen of Iceland from 1918 to 1944 as the spouse of Christian X of Denmark, K ...

and Princess Dagmar. In 1906 in Queen's Hall, London, Stockmarr played Grieg's Piano Concerto with Grieg conducting. She performed pieces by Grieg increasingly frequently, playing his music every night for a week for BBC broadcasts in 1928. In 1943, on the occasion of Grieg's 100th anniversary, she played his piano concerto in

Tivolis Koncertsal Tivoli Concert Hall ( da, Tivolis Koncertsal) is a 1,660-capacity concert hall at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. The building, which was designed by Frits Schlegel and Hans Hansen, was built between 1954 and 1956. The concert hall is use ...

. Johanne Stockmarr died on 2 March 1944 and is buried at the

Assistens Cemetery Assistens Cemetery ( da, Assistens Kirkegård) is the name of a number of cemeteries in Denmark. The common nominator is, as the first part of the name implies (Latin: ''assistens'' meaning assisting), an assisting cemetery for a town's churches. ...

Awards

Stockmarr received a number of honours and awards. In 1909, she was given the title Court Pianist (''hofpianist''), in 1918 she received the Ingenio et Arti medal and in 1939 the

Royal Medal of Recompense The Royal Medal of Recompense ( da, Den Kongelige Belønningsmedalje) is a List of orders, decorations, and medals of the Kingdom of Denmark, Danish medal. Established by List of Danish monarchs, King Christian IX of Denmark, Christian IX the meda ...

in gold. She was the third person to be awarded the Stipendium of Honour from the Kulturelle Fond.

References

External links

Recordings of Johanne Stockmarr from Forte Piano Pianissimo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stockmarr, Johanne 1869 births 1944 deaths 19th-century pianists 20th-century pianists Musicians from Copenhagen Danish pianists Danish women pianists Recipients of Ingenio et Arti 20th-century Danish women musicians 19th-century Danish women musicians Women classical pianists 19th-century women pianists 20th-century women pianists