Biography
Mathilde Kralik was the daughter of Bohemian glass industrialist Wilhelm Kralik von Meyrswalden (1807–1877) from Eleonorenhain. After the death of his first wife Anna Maria Pinhak (1814–1850), he married Louise Lobmeyr (1832–1905) on 28 May 1851. Mathilde was the fourth of five children from his second marriage to Louise née Lobmeyr. Her brother was Richard Kralik von Meyrswalden, the poet philosopher, historian and arts administrator. Kralik was born inAutobiographical note of 19 October 1904
"I was born on 3 December 1857 inLinz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846. In 2009, it was a European Capital ...on theDanube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p .... My father Wilhelm Kralik von Meyrswalden (d. 1877) was a glass manufacturer (head of the Meyr's Neffe factory in Bohemia), my mother Louise was born Lobmeyr (sister of Ludwig Lobmeyr, a member of the House of Lords and glass industrialist in Vienna). I owe my musical sense and love of music to my father and mother. My father was a passionate violinist, albeit self-taught, and an avid quartet player in the Bohemian Forest. My mother played the piano well as a dilettante and was already inclined towards classical music as a girl. I first heardBeethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...'s violin sonatas from my parents,Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...'s and Mozart's sounds were first imparted to me through the quartets at home. Later, my two older brothers and finally I took over domestic music-making from them, which consisted of duets, trios and quartets of our classics.
I enjoyed my first piano lessons with my mother, then with Eduard Hauptmann in Linz. My first attempts at composition were encouraged by my brother Richard, who took a lively interest in it. After we moved to Vienna in 1870, I received lessons in piano and harmony from Carl Hertlein (flutist at the Court Opera). In 1875 I became a private pupil of Professor Julius Epstein for piano. He took a serious interest in my compositions and advised me to continue my training with Anton Bruckner for counterpoint. I enjoyed his private lessons for a year until I entered the composition school of the Vienna Conservatory in October 1876. I was accepted into the second year of Professor Franz Krenn. After graduating from the following third year, I received the first prize. In the following years we cultivated a cappella singing in our house, through which I became more familiar with the works of the Dutch, Italian and German masters of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. I considerBach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...as my main teacher, for the modern forms I am primarily interested inLiszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl .... My compositions are partly printed, the greater part still manuscript."
Reception
Kralik's works became popular in the concert scene of Austria. On 19 April 1894 and on 19 April 1895, her compositions were performed at the Brahms-Saal of the Musikverein. In the 1898/99 season, the Quartet Duesberg presented her 1880 composed ''Piano Trio in F Major'' (1880).Honours
Kralik was an Honorary President of the Women's Choir Association Vienna, and a member of the Vienna Bach community, the Austrian Composers, the Association of Writers and Artists Club of Vienna and the Viennese Musicians.Selected works
Opera
*''Blume und Weissblume'', fairy play in three acts. The text of her brother Richard, after the popular book and Flos Blankenflos. Performances on 13 October 1910 in the Municipal Theater Hagen / Westphalia, and on 29 October 1912 in Bielsko-Biala, Silesia. *''Unter der Linde'', lyric opera in one act with text by her brother Richard. The opera remained unperformed. *''Der heilige Gral'' (The Holy Grail), music for dramatic poetry of her brother Richard in three acts. Premiere 1912Melodrama (spoken voice and piano)
*''Luke, the physician'', with text by her brother Richard, 1895 *''Prinzesslein in Vierblattklee,'' text by E. Reimer-Ironside, June 1912 *''Joan of Arc's death march'', text by Alice Baroness von Gaudy, 1920Oratorios
*Pfingsfeier, a liturgical oratorio. Text PW Schmidt 1925/26 *St. Leopold, with text by her brother Richard. Premiere in *Klosterneuburg, Stiftskeller Hall on 10 December 1933Cantatas
*''Volkers watch'' (the watch on the Danube), Festgesang, soloists and choir with text by her brother Richard 1907/1908Sacred music
*Mass in B-flat major (Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion), 1903 *Ave Maria, 4 female voices, 1936 *You blissful sunny world, (SATB & cong., chorus, Piano) Text: FW WeberOrchestral works
*''Fest-Ouvertüre'' in G major, January 1897 *''Fest-OuvertüreChamber music
*Sonata (violin and piano), 1878 *Trio (piano, violin and cello), 1880 *Fantasy (piano, cello), January 1929 *Sonnet (clarinet, bassoon, horn) 1912 *German Dances from the eastern provinces (two clarinets, cello, viola) 1943Vocal works with instrumental accompaniment
*Autumn feeling, JW von Goethe text, 1892 *Fantasia in E minor (voice, piano, violin), Kurt Erich Rotter text of dying dreams, 1928Vocal works with piano accompaniment
*Litany of Loreto, words by brother Richard, 1898 *The rosary, words by brother, Richard, 1898 *The love bridge, ballad, words by brother, Richard, 1896 *Empress Zita song, text by Heinrich Ritter Turzansky, 1918 *Vivat Austria, text Josef von Eichendorff, 1908 *Dragoon song, text Theodor Lehnstorff, 1914Vocal music a cappella
*The spirit of love, text by Nathalie Duchess of Oldenburg, 1903 *Spring is coming, music and text Mathilde *Ms Nightingale, 1931Solo piano
*Round in January 1882 *Piano Sonata in F minor (1st movement, quasi Rhapsody) 1895 *Prelude, Passacaglia and Fugato *Polonaise *Schubert homage march, 1928Solo organ
*''Interlude'' *''Festival March'', 1907 *''Offertory'' in E-flat major, 1907References
External links
* *Further reading
* * Rochus Kralik von Meyrswalden: ''Ein Kuss von Franz Liszt'', Biography, ACABUS Verlag Hamburg 2009, 300 Seiten, Paperback, ISBN 978-3-941404-02-1. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kralik, Mathilde 1857 births 1944 deaths Austrian classical composers Austrian classical pianists Austrian women classical composers Austrian opera composers Austrian women pianists Women opera composers Composers from Linz Women classical pianists