WINTZER, Elisabeth; Manfred KYBER (lyrics). Als Großmama ein kleines Mädchen war. Duett.

Mixing Business and Pleasure

WINTZER, Elisabeth; Manfred KYBER (lyrics). Als Großmama ein kleines Mädchen war. Duett. Berlin: N. Simrock. 1906.

4to. Publisher’s green and orange printed self-wrappers with portrait medallion of young woman (possibly Wintzer) in orange; pp. 7, [1]; slight spotting and toning, a few nicks to extremities; else very good; authorial inscription ‘Fräulein Elisabeth Schumann-Sontag mit fr[eun]dl[ichen] Grüßen von Elisabeth Wintzer und Manfred Kyber. Berlin, Juni 1906’ in black ink to front.

A seemingly institutionally unrecorded duet by German composer and writer Elizabeth Wintzer (1863–1893) with lyrics by the Riga-born philosopher, pacifist, and animal rights activist Manfred Kyber, presented by both to German lyric soprano Elisabeth Schumann (1888–1952).

Kyber studied philosophy in Leipzig before moving to Berlin and then to Löwenstein, Württemberg. In addition to poems, a novel, plays, theatre criticism, and an introduction to occultism, he wrote mostly fairy tales and animal stories. Wintzer had married the painter Otto Gerlach shortly after finishing her own musical studies in Leipzig, and she and Kyber began an affair in 1900. This duet was one of several musical settings by Wintzer of poems by Kyber, published at the height of their romantic relationship; they separated in 1907 after the birth of their illegitimate daughter, who would be adopted in 1922.

Provenance: presented by Wintzer and Kyber to Elisabeth Schumann (here Schumann-Sonntag). She was a relative of famed soprano Henriette Sontag (known affectionately as the ‘Divine Jette’), chosen by Beethoven as soprano soloist for the premieres of his Ninth Symphony and Missa Solemnis.

Not on OCLC, KvK, or Library Hub.

SKU: 2126380