Teresa Carreno (1853-1917) was a Venezuelan pianist, singer, composer and conductor. Here is a website about her. ‘In rapid succession she conquered the concert halls of Havana, London and Paris. A considerable number of her compositions date from the 1860s and were published, even before her twentieth birthday. It does not come as a surprise that these early compositions all require a highly skilled performer, given Teresa Carreño’s own considerable technical skills. The emotional depth of her compositions, however, manages to surprise time and again: It almost appears as if the life experiences of the following, turbulent years already resonate in these piano compositions; as if her music already foreshadows the tragic loss of her father, the premature death of her children and her failed marriage’ (Naxos). Selected music for piano may be heard on the Naxos site and here is her Ballade Op. 15 played by Alexandra Oehler.
18 January 2018
