Exhibition #2

The Composers Constanze Geiger and Josephine Weinlich

Constanze Geiger (1835-1890) became well-known in the 1840s and 1850s as a composer. In 1848, Johann Strauss Sr. performed the Frühlingsträume Waltz, op. 8[a], and the Ferdinandus Waltz, op. 10, by the 12-year-old Constanze. Her Carlsklänge Waltz, op. 20, was also conducted by Strauss in 1852 in the Theater an der Wien. Three sacred works of the 10-year-old Constanze, among them her Ave Maria, became very popular and were often performed in numerous Viennese churches.

Josephine Weinlich (1848-1887) founded the First European Women's Orchestra in 1873 and conducted the ensemble with much success in Vienna and on extensive tours throughout Europe and the USA. Her own compositions were often featured on the orchestra's concert programs.

Constanze Geiger (1835-1890) as actress, pianist and composer

Zoom Constanze Geiger. Lithograph by Gabriel Decker, 1849, one year after the composition of the Ferdinandus Waltz, op. 10 © Vienna Philharmonic / Historical Archives

Constanze Geiger was born in Vienna on October 16, 1835. She received her earliest musical instruction from her father and gave a private recital in October 1844, only a few days after her ninth birthday, in which she presented two of her own compositions. One of these, her opus 1, had already been issued by the publishing house Diabelli. During the ball season of 1847, waltzes by the 11-year-old Constanze were performed under the baton of Johann Strauss Sr. for the first time. Beginning in 1850, Constanze Geiger also appeared as an actress. In 1852, she performed several times at the Theater an der Wien in a universal capacity as actress, pianist and composer in her own production. Combining several artistic disciplines in this fashion, she continued to make such appearances over the course of the next eight years, with this striking style of stage presentation eventually becoming her trademark. In 1861, she married Prince Leopold von Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha and in 1862, she was elevated to the baronage and took on the title of Baroness von Ruttenstein. She die on August 24, 1890, in Dieppe.

Zoom Playbill announcing a guest performance of Constanze Geiger in Frankfurt am Main, October 17, 1859 © Private Collection
Zoom Prince Leopold von Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Constanze von Ruttenstein Photograph by Ludwig Angerer © Private Collection
Zoom Constanze von Ruttenstein. Photograph by Fritz Luckhardt © Private Collection

Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Mrs. von Weiss, March 10, 1883

"Today I wrote to Mrs. von Springer, who has so warmly recommended the purchase of your house, to request of you in my name […] to grant me a grace period of 4 to 5 weeks to make a definite decision! […]"
*with envelope

Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Mrs. von Weiss, March 10, 1883. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection
Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Mrs. von Weiss, March 10, 1883. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection
Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Mrs. von Weiss, March 10, 1883. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection
Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Mrs. von Weiss, March 10, 1883. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection

Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Carl Adolph Friese, Tuesday [May 29, 1883]

"Tuesday. My dear friend Friese! His Highness my gracious husband will be present on Thursday and will remain for your beautiful festive performance – please reserve for us box no. 20 […]"

Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Carl Adolph Friese, Tuesday [May 29, 1883]. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection
Zoom Letter from Constanze von Ruttenstein to Carl Adolph Friese, Tuesday [May 29, 1883]. Stationery with imprinted design © Private Collection

Josephine Weinlich (1848-1887) and her "First European Women's Orchestra"

Zoom Josephine Weinlich and her Women's Orchestra, Xylograph, 1873. Original drawing by Vincenz Katzler in the Illustrierte Zeitung, October 25, 1873 © Private Collection

Josephine Weinlich (whose married name was Amann-Weinlich) was born in Dechtice, Slovakia, on August 2, 1848. In 1868, she founded a Women's Orchestra in Vienna and conducted the ensemble's performances. The size of the orchestra increased continually over the years. In 1873, during the World Exposition in Vienna, she conducted her "First European Women's Orchestra" in regular concerts in the Floral Halls of the Garden Society on the Parkring. The orchestra was comprised of 30 women, with a few young men playing the wind instruments. Josephine Weinlich and her orchestra made lengthy concert tours to such destinations as the USA and Paris. Weinlich died in Lisbon on January 9, 1887. Along with Constanze Geiger, she was another female composer in Vienna who wrote dance music such as waltzes and polkas.

Zoom The Garden Society building on the Parkring. Excerpt from a wood engraving after a drawing by Ladislaus Eugen Petrovits © Private Collection
Zoom First European Women's Orchestra, Directrice: Josephine Amann-Weinlich Photograph by Heinrich Harmsen, Vienna 1873 © Private Collection

Constanze Geiger's compositional oeuvre

Constanze Geiger's compositional oeuvre includes 34 works with opus numbers and an additional 37 pieces. Among these are 13 waltzes, six polkas, eight marches, three sacred works, seven songs, and a large number of compositions for piano.

Zoom Autograph musical quotation of Constanze von Ruttenstein, December 24, 1867 Stationery with printed monogram © Private Collection

"To the consistently cheerful diplomat as a friendly remembrance of Constanze Baroness von Ruttenstein“

Zoom Elegy for piano composed by Leopold Edler von Meyer © Private Collection

"Respectfully dedicated to Her Excellency Baroness Constanze von Ruttenstein"

Zoom Flora Quadrille, op. 177, by Johann Strauss Sr., dedicated to Constanze Geiger © Private Collection
Contact

Do you have any questions?

Dr. Nana Miyata
Historical Archives
Seilerstätte 30
1010 Wien