Agnès Tyrrell

[semloh]

Mark, thank you for uploading the Overture from Tyrrell's oratorio Die Könige in Israel. It's a sparkling piece, and  reminds me of Saint-Saens' 3rd symphony - I kept thinking the organ was about to make its entrance!

Sadly, she died aged 35 - but I can't find out what was the cause.

She doesn't appear in any of the usual historical dictionaries and biographies, but she does appear in The New Grove Dictionary of Women Composers , which reads:
(b Brno, 20 Sept 1846; d Brno, 18 April 1883). Moravian composer and pianist of English origin. She was the daughter of Henry Tyrrell, an English language-teacher who had established himself among the German-speaking community in Brno. She studied the piano at the Vienna Conservatory (1862) and composition with Otto Ritzler, the director of the Brno Musikverein. Her frail health prevented an active career as a pianist, though she gave some concerts; instead she devoted herself to composition, encouraged by Count Haugwitz of Náměšť, whom she visited in 1867, and Liszt, who in 1874 praised her piano studies, suggesting some alternative fingerings. These and other piano pieces were published in Vienna; she also wrote songs (some to English texts), choruses, an opera and some orchestral music. Her most adventurous compositions are her choruses, though her piano pieces show Liszt's influence, a rare occurrence in 19th-century Moravia.

The entry is attributed to 'John Tyrell'.

[joachim]

Note that her name is Tyrrell and not Tyrell !

I wrote a note about this composer in my forum, maybe a little more complete, and I found part of its catalog of works, but I did not find the dates of composition: (I made a French-English translation via Google, it is not may not be perfect !)

Agnès Tyrrell (born September 20, 1846 in Brno, where she died on April 18, 1883) was a Czech pianist and composer, of English origin.

Agnès Tyrrell was born in Brno, Moravia. She was the daughter of English teacher Henry Foster Tyrrell and his wife Josefine Kotulán, who had settled in Brno in the German-speaking community. She played in her first recital at the age of nine, and entered the Vienna Conservatory at sixteen in 1862. She studied composition with Otto Ritzler (director of the Musikverein Brno) and published her first compositions in 1872. Her fragile health prevented her from pursuing an active career as a pianist, although she gave some concerts. Instead she devoted herself to composition, encouraged by Count Haugwitz de Náměšť, whom she met in 1867, and by Liszt, who, in 1874, praised his piano studies, suggesting other fingerings.

These piano studies, and other plays, have been published in Vienna; She has also written melodies (some on English texts), choruses, two operas and orchestral music. His most adventurous compositions are his choruses.

Agnes Tyrrell died in Brno at the age of thirty-five.

Agnes Tyrrell became one of the few women to compose symphonic works before 1900, including a symphony in C major.

Works

Agnes Tyrrell composed over three hundred works for solo instrument (39 for piano), orchestra, chamber music and for voice: 7 men's choruses, 2 women's choruses, 6 mixed choirs, 38 melodies and cycles. Selected works include:

Piano

Impromptu n° 1 op. 11/1
Impromptu n° 2 op. 12/2
Impromptu, op. 32/3
Andante, op. 6
Stück, op. 7
Thema und Variationen in F Dur, op. 8
Allegro di bravura, op. 9
Klaviersonate, op. 10
Mazurka, op. 15
Nocturne, op. 16
Nocturne, op. 17
Vier Albumblätter. Zwei Idyllen. Zwei Scherzi, op. 18
Lied ohne Worte, op. 23
Sechs Charakterstücke, op. 32
Zwölf Studien, op. 48 (dédiée à Franz Liszt)
Große Sonate, op. 66
Ballade
Die Mühle. Scherzo. Humoreske.
Drei Klavierstücke
Marsch
Ländler
Phantasiestücke
Polonaise
Rondo
Zwei Idyllen
Zwei Rhapsodien

Chamber music

String Quartet in G major

Orchestra

Overture in E flat major
Symphony in C major for orchestra
Mazurka for orchestra

Opera, oratorio

Die Konige en Israël, oratorio
Bertran de Born, opéra
Jessondra, opéra

Choral

Fünf Gesänge, op. 7
Schlaflied
Auf dem See
Lied vom Rhein
Mailied
Sehnsucht, Lied vom Rhein
Fuge
Gebet
Muttertränen
Sommerfrühe, Sonntags am Rhein, Vorüber
Winterlied

Mélodies

Die Berge der Heimat, Künftiger Frühling, op. 1
Vöglein im Walde, op. 2
Zwei Lieder, op. 7
Betheuerung, op. 9
Vom wilden Röschen, op. 10
Fünf Lieder, op. 11
Zwei Lieder, op. 19
Vier Lieder, op. 20
Ruhe in der Geliebten, op. 21
Drei Lieder, op. 24
Mägdelein im Wald, op. 25
Winter, op. 26
Drei Lieder, op. 28
Der erfrorene Knabe, op. 30
Wanderlied, op. 31
Zwei Gesänge, op. 33
Abschied, op. 36
Sehnsucht, op. 37
Abendfeier, op. 40
Lied des Wanderburschen im Walde, op. 41
Das Mädchen im Radboot, op. 50
Drei Lieder, op. 51
An den Mond, op. 53
Beim Wandern, Lenzspruch, op. 55
Fünf Lieder, op. 59
Trübe wird's die Wolken eilen, op. 62
Ein Glöcklein hör ich läuten
Das zerbrochene Ringlein
Morgenlied
Abreise
Die Liebende schreibt
Go not, happy day....
Ich trag auf dem Herz einen Blumenstrauß
Jagdlied. Wenn sich zwei Herzen scheiden
O soliaris hostia
Weder der Mond noch Sterne
Ave Maria
Weep on

[Alan Howe]

Note that her name is Tyrrell and not Tyrell !

Thanks for the spelling correction - surname duly amended!