Josephine Lang (1815-1880)
soprano Janet Ross
mezzo-soprano Thea Lobo
cellist Yeil Park
pianist Lindsay Garritson
pianist Eunmi Ko
Josephine Lang was something of a pianistic and compositional prodigy, though her success was hampered by recurrent health issues. A silver lining to this, however, was that while convalescing at Wildbad Kreuth, by design of Queen Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, she became acquainted with professor, lawyer and poet Christian Reinhold Köstlin, who would become her husband. The two enjoyed a happy marriage and family life until his death in 1856. At this point Josephine Lang renewed her musical motivations to support her five children, and despite some initial struggles, became widely published, with the help of Clara Schumann and Ferdinand Hiller. She composed and taught, despite poor health and psychological difficulties, until her death in 1880 by heart attack. She left behind a strong body of work rivaling any great Lieder composer of the era.
