Frida Kern (1891 - 1988) Austria

Austrian composer. Born in Vienna, she grew up in Linz, where she studied piano with Anna Zappa and later at the Linz Music Academy with August Göllerich.

She began composing in 1911. In 1923 she entered the Vienna Academy, where she studied composition with Franz Schmidt and orchestral conducting with Robert Heger.

I'll begin by sharing her work "Impressionen" with you. There will be no links to download the sheet music, as it is protected by copyright.

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I couldn't find much information about Frida Kern or much music on YouTube, but I was struck by the instrumentation she has in the few pieces I found, along with the presence of the harp in several of them. I'm sharing Spanischer Tanz for bassoon and harp No. 1, Op. 24.

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Frida continued her training with Eusebius Mandyczewski and Alexander Wunderer, graduating in 1927. Kern founded a women's orchestra that toured Europe and North Africa, and in 1942 she took up a teaching position at the Vienna Music School. In 1960, she was decorated by the Republic of Austria. She died in Linz.

Finally, I want you to listen to the 2nd movement of her Wind Quintet Op. 25. Very melancholic.