Obscure Music Monday: Mayer's Tonwellen

Emilie Luise Friderica Mayer (May 14, 1812 - April 10, 1883) was a German composer of Romantic music. While she studied music growing up, it was nothing serious. It wasn't until 1840 when her father died that she took music and composing seriously; she moved to Stettin to study with Carl Loewe, and then later moved to Berlin to study with Adolph Bernhard Max and Wilhelm Wieprecht. Later on in life she became the Associate Director of the Opera Academy in Berlin.

Mayer wrote symphonies, chamber works, sonatas, and several pieces for solo piano, including Tonwellen. This salon-style piece is an incredibly cheerful waltz. You'll hear some little appoggiaturas scattered in the melody, which add such a youthful, fun aspect to this composition. Coming in at around four minutes, it's short and sweet, in addition to being a definite crowd pleaser.

Here's a great recording of this work for you to enjoy!

Yang Tai