Southern African students at the music school in Weimar, Germany, 1884-1921

Abstract

Suider-Afrikaanse studente aan die Hochschule fur Musik in Weimar, Duitsland, 1884-1921 Die Musiekskool in Weimar, een van die beroemdste musiekstede ter wereld, is in 1872 gestig. Die skool het geleidelik meer studente, ook uit die buiteland, getrek. Die primere doel van die navorsing was om vas te stel of Suider-Afrikaanse studente aan die skool studeer het, soos wat dit by die konservatoriums in Amsterdam, Leipzig en Wene, die Royal College of Music in Londen, die Stern-Konservatorium in Berlyn en die Hochschule fur Musik in Berlyn die geval was. Verrassenderwys het slegs ses studente met Suider-Afrikaanse verbintenisse tussen 1872 en 1939 aan die Musiekskool in Weimar gestudeer. Hulle was Maria Adamson (Kaapstad), Myrtha en Ursula Noyce (Heidelberg, Transvaal), Johanna (Joan) van Niekerk (Uitenhage), Thyra Nissen-Lass (Windhoek) en Anna Maria Bach (Windhoek). Geeneen van hulle word in die programme van studentekonserte genoem nie. ’n Mens moet dus aanneem dat hulle standaard nie goed genoeg was om saam met die ander studente in die openbaar op te tree nie. Maar die buitengewone aktiewe musieklewe by die Musiekskool en in die stadjie Weimar sou aan hulle baie ander musiekervarings verskaf het. Hierdie veelsydige agtergrond sou in hulle latere musieklewens ruimskoots tot hulle voordeel gestrek het. Van die ses studente is slegs Joan van Niekerk vandag nog bekend weens haar Die Groot Afrikaanse-Hollandse Liederbundel (1927) en haar werk as liedbegeleier. The Music School in Weimar, one of the most famous music towns of the world, was founded in 1872. It gradually attracted more students and also more foreigners. The first aim of the research was to establish whether there were Southern African students at this school as there were at the conservatories in Amsterdam, Leipzig and Vienna, the Royal College of Music in London, the Stern Conservatorium in Berlin and the Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin. Surprisingly, only six students with Southern African connections were found at the Music School in Weimar between 1872 and 1939. They are Maria Adamson (Cape Town), Myrtha and Ursula Noyce (Heidelberg, Transvaal), Johanna (Joan) van Niekerk (Uitenhage), Thyra Nissen-Lass (Windhoek) and Anna Maria Bach (Windhoek). None of these students was mentioned in the programmes of student concerts. One must assume that they were not of a standard to perform in public with the other students. But the extremely active music life at the Music School and in the town of Weimar would have provided them with additional musical experience. This versatile background would have been to their advantage as musicians later in their lives. Among the six students it is only Joan van Niekerk who is known today, for her volume of Dutch Afrikaans songs (1927) and her work as an accompanist.