Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (24 October 1739 – 10 April 1807), was a German princess and composer.[1] She became the duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, by marriage, and was also regent of the states of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach from 1758 to 1775. She transformed her court and its surrounding into the most influential cultural center of Germany.
During Karl August's minori ty she administered the affairs of the duchy with notable prudence, strengthening its resources and improving its position in spite of the troubles of the Seven Years' War.Despite her heavy official responsibilities, she cultivated intellectual interests, especially music. She continued to take lessons in composition and keyboard playing from the leading musician in Weimar. Amalia von Helvig, a German-Swedish artist and writer, later became part of her court. She hired Christoph Martin Wieland, a poet and translator of William Shakespeare, to educate her son. [2] . On September 3, 1775, her son reached his majority, and she retired.[4]
Cultural role
As a patron of the arts, Anna Amalia drew many of the most eminent people in Germany to Weimar. She gathered a group of scholars, poets and musicians, professional and amateur, for lively discussion and music-making at the Wittum palace. In this ‘court of the muses’, as Wilhelm Bode called it, the members included Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Schiller. She succeeded in engaging Abel Seyler's theatrical company.[4] considered the best theatre company in Germany at that time."[5]
Anna Amalia herself played a significant part in bringing together the poetry of ‘Weimar Classicism.’ Johann Adam Hiller's most successful Singspiel, Die Jagd (the score of which is dedicated to the duchess), received its first performance in Weimar in 1770, and Weimar was also the scene of the notable première on 28 May 1773 of the ‘first German opera’, Wieland's Alceste in the setting by Anton Schweitzer. Anna Amalia continued the tradition of the Singspiel in later years with performances in the amateur court theatre of her own compositions to texts by Goethe.
She also established the Duchess Anna Amalia Library, which is now home to some 1,000,000 volumes. The duchess was honored in Goethe's work under the title Zum Andenken der Fürstin Anna-Amalia.
Music
Anna Amalia was a notable composer. . The majority of her works belong stylistically to the Empfindsamkeit, in the manner of Hiller and Schweitzer, combining features of song and of arioso.
Her compositions include:
Chamber
Divertimento (clarinet, viola, violoncello, and piano) c. 1780[6]
^ abcdeJezic, Diane (1988). Women composers : the lost tradition found. New York: Feminist Press at the City University of New York. ISBN0-935312-94-3. OCLC 18715963.
^"Search Results for Anna Amalia | Grove Music Online | Grove Music". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
^Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians. Nicolas Slonimsky, Laura Diane Kuhn, Nicolas Slonimsky (Centennial ed.). New York: Schirmer Books. 2001. ISBN0-02-865525-7. OCLC 44972043.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ abcOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Anna Amalia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 59. This cites F. Bornhak, Anna Amalia Herzogin von Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Berlin. 1892).
^"Herzogin Anna Amalie von Weimar und ihr Theater," in Robert Keil (ed.), Goethe's Tagebuch aus den Jahren 1776–1782, Veit, 1875, p. 69
^ abcANNA AMALIA von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon, retrieved February 25, 2011
^The Norton/Grove dictionary of women composers. Julie Anne Sadie, Rhian Samuel (First ed.). New York. 1994. ISBN0-393-03487-9. OCLC 33066655.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 52.
Further reading
Henry Gardiner Adams, ed. (1857). "Amalie, Anna". A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography: 33–34. Wikidata Q115632068.
Carl August Hugo Burkhardt (1875), "Amalia, Herzogin von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), vol. 1, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 386–387
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anna Amalia, Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
duchess, anna, amalia, brunswick, wolfenbüttel, anna, amalia, brunswick, wolfenbüttel, october, 1739, april, 1807, german, princess, composer, became, duchess, saxe, weimar, eisenach, marriage, also, regent, states, saxe, weimar, saxe, eisenach, from, 1758, 17. Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel 24 October 1739 10 April 1807 was a German princess and composer 1 She became the duchess of Saxe Weimar Eisenach by marriage and was also regent of the states of Saxe Weimar and Saxe Eisenach from 1758 to 1775 She transformed her court and its surrounding into the most influential cultural center of Germany Duchess Anna AmaliaPortrait by Johann Ernst HeinsiusDuchess consort of Saxe Weimar and Saxe EisenachTenure1756 1758Regent of Saxe Weimar and Saxe EisenachRegency1758 1775Born 1739 10 24 24 October 1739WolfenbuttelDied10 April 1807 1807 04 10 aged 67 WeimarSpouseErnest Augustus II Duke of Saxe Weimar EisenachIssueKarl August Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar Eisenach Prince Frederick FerdinandHouseBrunswick BevernSaxe Weimar EisenachFatherCharles I Duke of Brunswick WolfenbuttelMotherPrincess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia Contents 1 Family 2 Education 3 Marriage 4 Regency 5 Cultural role 6 Music 6 1 Chamber 6 2 Harpsichord 6 3 Opera 6 4 Orchestra 6 5 Vocal 7 Ancestry 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksFamily Edit StandardShe was born in Wolfenbuttel the ninth child of Karl I Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel and Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia Her maternal grandparents were Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover Education EditAnna Amalia was well educated as befitted a princess She studied music with Friedrich Gottlob Fleischer 2 and Ernst Wilhelm Wolf 3 Marriage EditIn Brunswick on 16 March 1756 sixteen year old Anna Amalia married eighteen year old Ernst August II Konstantin Duke of Saxe Weimar Eisenach and they had two sons Ernst August died in 1758 leaving her regent for their infant son Karl August 4 Regency EditDuring Karl August s minori ty she administered the affairs of the duchy with notable prudence strengthening its resources and improving its position in spite of the troubles of the Seven Years War Despite her heavy official responsibilities she cultivated intellectual interests especially music She continued to take lessons in composition and keyboard playing from the leading musician in Weimar Amalia von Helvig a German Swedish artist and writer later became part of her court She hired Christoph Martin Wieland a poet and translator of William Shakespeare to educate her son 2 On September 3 1775 her son reached his majority and she retired 4 Cultural role EditAs a patron of the arts Anna Amalia drew many of the most eminent people in Germany to Weimar She gathered a group of scholars poets and musicians professional and amateur for lively discussion and music making at the Wittum palace In this court of the muses as Wilhelm Bode called it the members included Johann Gottfried Herder Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller She succeeded in engaging Abel Seyler s theatrical company 4 considered the best theatre company in Germany at that time 5 Anna Amalia herself played a significant part in bringing together the poetry of Weimar Classicism Johann Adam Hiller s most successful Singspiel Die Jagd the score of which is dedicated to the duchess received its first performance in Weimar in 1770 and Weimar was also the scene of the notable premiere on 28 May 1773 of the first German opera Wieland s Alceste in the setting by Anton Schweitzer Anna Amalia continued the tradition of the Singspiel in later years with performances in the amateur court theatre of her own compositions to texts by Goethe She also established the Duchess Anna Amalia Library which is now home to some 1 000 000 volumes The duchess was honored in Goethe s work under the title Zum Andenken der Furstin Anna Amalia Music EditAnna Amalia was a notable composer The majority of her works belong stylistically to the Empfindsamkeit in the manner of Hiller and Schweitzer combining features of song and of arioso Her compositions include Chamber Edit Divertimento clarinet viola violoncello and piano c 1780 6 Harpsichord Edit sonatas 1 Opera Edit Das Jahrmarktsfest zu Plundersweilern text by Goethe 1 Erwin und Elmire text by Goethe 1776 7 Orchestra Edit Oratorio 1768 6 Sacred Choruses four voices and orchestra 1 Symphony 2 oboes 2 flutes 2 violins and double bass 1765 6 Vocal Edit songs 1 Ancestry EditAncestors of Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel 8 16 Augustus II Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel8 Ferdinand Albert I Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel Bevern17 Duchess Elisabeth Sophia of Mecklenburg Gustrow4 Ferdinand Albert II Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel18 Frederick Landgrave of Hesse Eschwege9 Princess Christine of Hesse Eschwege19 Countess Palatine Eleonora Catherine of Zweibrucken2 Charles I Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel20 Anthony Ulrich Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel10 Louis Rudolph Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel21 Princess Elisabeth Juliana of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Norburg5 Duchess Antoinette of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel22 Albert Ernest I Prince of Oettingen Oettingen11 Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen Oettingen23 Duchess Christine Friederike of Wurttemberg1 Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel24 Frederick William Elector of Brandenburg12 Frederick I of Prussia25 Countess Luise Henriette of Nassau6 Frederick William I of Prussia26 Ernest Augustus Elector of Hanover13 Princess Sophia Charlotte of Hanover27 Princess Sophia of the Palatinate3 Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia28 Ernest Augustus Elector of Hanover 26 14 George I of Great Britain29 Princess Sophia of the Palatinate 27 7 Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover30 George William Duke of Brunswick Luneburg15 Princess Sophia Dorothea of Celle31 Eleonore d Esmier d OlbreuseReferences Edit a b c d e Jezic Diane 1988 Women composers the lost tradition found New York Feminist Press at the City University of New York ISBN 0 935312 94 3 OCLC 18715963 Search Results for Anna Amalia Grove Music Online Grove Music Grove Music Online Retrieved 2021 02 14 Baker s biographical dictionary of musicians Nicolas Slonimsky Laura Diane Kuhn Nicolas Slonimsky Centennial ed New York Schirmer Books 2001 ISBN 0 02 865525 7 OCLC 44972043 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Anna Amalia Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 2 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 59 This cites F Bornhak Anna Amalia Herzogin von Saxe Weimar Eisenach Berlin 1892 Herzogin Anna Amalie von Weimar und ihr Theater in Robert Keil ed Goethe s Tagebuch aus den Jahren 1776 1782 Veit 1875 p 69 a b c ANNA AMALIA von Braunschweig Wolfenbuttel Biographisch Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon retrieved February 25 2011 The Norton Grove dictionary of women composers Julie Anne Sadie Rhian Samuel First ed New York 1994 ISBN 0 393 03487 9 OCLC 33066655 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Genealogie ascendante jusqu au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l Europe actuellement vivans Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living in French Bourdeaux Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel 1768 p 52 Further reading EditHenry Gardiner Adams ed 1857 Amalie Anna A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography 33 34 Wikidata Q115632068 Carl August Hugo Burkhardt 1875 Amalia Herzogin von Sachsen Weimar Eisenach Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ADB in German vol 1 Leipzig Duncker amp Humblot pp 386 387External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anna Amalia Duchess of Saxe Weimar Eisenach Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel PRNewsWire Goethe s forbidden love for Anna Amalia Death Mask of Ann Amalia Of Brunswick Free scores by Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Amalia Anna The American Cyclopaedia 1879 Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick WolfenbuttelHouse of Brunswick BevernCadet branch of the House of WelfBorn 24 October 1739 Died 10 April 1807German royaltyVacantTitle last held bySophie Charlotte of Brandenburg Bayreuth Duchess consort of Saxe Weimar16 March 1756 28 May 1758 VacantTitle next held byLouise of Hesse DarmstadtDuchess consort of Saxe Eisenach16 March 1756 28 May 1758 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel amp oldid 1126696852, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
