Ernestine von Fricken

Christiane Ernestine Franziska von Fricken (7 September 1816 – 13 November 1844) was an Austrian pianist who, for a while, was the fiancée of Robert Schumann.

Life

Ernestine von Fricken was born on 7 September 1816 in Neuberg, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (today Podhradí, Czech Republic).[1] She was the illegitimate daughter of the unmarried Countess Caroline Ernestine Louise von Zedtwitz (1784–1861)[2] with the wire manufacturer Erdmann Lindauer from GrünAsch near Asch.[3] Her mother's sister, Charlotte Christiane Friederike of Zedtwitz, and her later husband, the landowner and k. k. Captain Ferdinand Ignaz Freiherr von Fricken (1787–1850) were childless themselves and adopted Ernestine. Ignaz von Fricken was an amateur composer.[4] She was officially only adopted on 18 December 1834, when Fricken wanted to arrange the family relationship on the occasion of Ernestine's engagement. A corresponding note can be found as a supplement in the baptismal register.[1]

Ernestine von Fricken became known above all for her relationship with Robert Schumann, whom she met through Friedrich Wieck in April 1834. In August 1834 she became secretly engaged to Schumann, and he dedicated his Allegro op. 8 for piano to her.[5] Notwithstanding their eventual dedication, to William Sterndale Bennett, Schumann's Symphonic Études Op. 13 are based on a theme by Ignaz von Fricken.[4] In addition, his Carnaval op. 9 is a lasting memory of Ernestine von Fricken. In it he symbolizes her hometown Asch by the tone sequence A - Es(S)- C - H. In January 1836 Schumann broke off the engagement.[6] Records survive of correspondence between the Schumanns and Ernestine and her father, Ignaz, spanning the period from 1834 to 1844.[7]

From the summer of 1836 she lived at Buldern Castle near Dülmen (Westphalia) with the family of Baron Klemen von Romberg. From 4 to 6 August 1837, she stayed in Leipzig and met Robert Schumann for the last time,[8] also with Clara Wieck.[9]

On 5 November 1838, she married the 24-year-old Count Wilhelm von Zedtwitz, lord of Asch-Schönbach, a son of Count Casimir Liebmann von Zedtwitz (1770–1822), in the Catholic Niklas Church in Asch.[10] In the register she is not called Ernestine von Fricken, but after her biological mother as "Fräulein Ernestine Christiane Franziska Zedtwitz gebürtig zu Neuberg N. 28. Herrschaft Asch, Tochter der Fräulein Marianne Karoline Ernestine Louise Edlen von Zedtwitz aus Obertheil-Neuberg."[11] The count died on 3 July 1839.[3]

In 1841, Schumann dedicated three songs op. 31 after texts by Adelbert von Chamisso to 'Frau Gräfin Ernestine von Zedtwitz'.[12]

In the later years of her relatively brief life, Ernestine performed benefit concerts. She was a capable pianist,[13] and her repertoire included works by Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, Kalkbrenner and Hummel, performing under both the names Ernestine von Fricken and Countess von Zedtwitz.[14] Ernestine von Fricken died, at the age of 28, on 13 November 1844 of typhoid fever, in Asch.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Státní oblastní archiv v Plzni, Geburts-und Taufregister des Dorfs Neuberg, 1814–1836 Podhradí - evangelická 02" [State Regional Archives in Pilsen, Birth and Baptism Register of the Village of Neuberg, 1814–1836 Podhradí - Evangelical 02]. Porta fontium. p. 21,No. 25. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Ernestine, Gräfin von Zedtwitz, * 1784 | Lebensdaten, Geneall.net". geneall.net. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b Wasielewski 1897, p. 44.
  4. ^ a b "Yale University Library: Exhibits at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library. Robert Schumann: Composer, Critic, and Correspondent. Etudes Symphoniques, Opus 13, manuscript sketches, ca. 1834". musiclib-exhibits.library.yale.edu. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Allegro, Op.8 (Schumann, Robert) - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 23 January 2025. Dedication: Baronin Ernestine von Fricken (1816–1844) gewidmet
  6. ^ Robert Schumann | Biography, Wife, Music, Compositions, Death, & Facts | Britannica. www.britannica.com. 20 September 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  7. ^ Klaus Martin Kopitz; Michael Heinemann; Anselm Eber; Jelena Josic; Carlos Lozano Fernandez; Thomas Synofzik, eds. (2023). Briefwechsel Robert und Clara Schumanns mit Korrespondenten in Österreich, Ungarn und Böhmen, [Correspondence of Robert and Clara Schumann with correspondents in Austria, Hungary and Bohemia]. Köln: Dohr. pp. 555–635. ISBN 978-3-86846-052-0.  (= Schumann-Briefedition, Serie II, Band 27)
  8. ^ Robert Schumann (1987). Nauhaus, Gerd (ed.). Tagebücher (diaries). Vol. 2. Leipzig: Deutscher Verlag für Musik. p. 34.
  9. ^ Clara Schumann (2019). Nauhaus, Gerd; Reich, Nancy B. (eds.). Jugendtagebücher (youth diaries) 1827–1840. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag. p. 256. ISBN 9783487086217.
  10. ^ Vgl. Genealogisches Taschenbuch der deutschen gräflichen Häuser auf das Jahr 1848 [See Genealogical Handbook of the German Countly Houses for the year 1848]. Vol. 21. 1848. p. 770. Retrieved 24 January 2025 – via books.google.de.
  11. ^ "Státní oblastní archiv v Plzni, Trauungs-Buch der Pfarrey St. Niklasberg zu Asch" [State Regional Archives in Pilsen, Marriage Book of the Parish of St. Niklasberg zu Asch]. Porta fontium. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  12. ^ "3 Gesänge, Op.31 (Schumann, Robert) - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  13. ^ Buchholz 1997.
  14. ^ "Fricken, Ernestine von - Sophie Drinker Institut". www.sophie-drinker-institut.de. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Státní oblastní archiv v Plzni, Sterbe-Buch des Marktes Asch" [State Regional Archives in Pilsen, Death Book of Marktes Asch]. Porta fontium. p. 55. Retrieved 9 November 2025.

Sources

  • Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von (1897). "Robert Schumanns Herzenserlebnisse. Ein wichtiger Nachtrag zur Schumannbiographie" [Robert Schumann's Heartfelt Experiences. An Important Addendum to the Schumann Biography]. Deutsche Revue. 22/1: 40–52 and 226–239. (with a letter from Ignaz von Fricken to his adopted daughter Ernestine dated August 23, 1834)
  • Buchholz, Albin (1997). "Eine "Virtuosin ersten Ranges auf dem Klaviere". Ernestine von Fricken – eine Persönlichkeit, die sich um das Musikleben des Vogtlandes verdient gemacht hat" [A "virtuoso of the first rank on the piano". Ernestine von Fricken – a personality who has rendered outstanding services to the musical life of the Vogtland]. Vogtländische Heimatblätter. Zeitschrift für Natur, Kultur und Heimatgeschichte [Vogtländische Heimatblätter. Journal for nature, culture and local history]. Vol. 2. pp. 26–30.

Further reading

  • Schilling, Gustav (1836). Encyclopädie der gesammten musikalischen Wissenschaften, oder Universal-Lexicon der Tonkunst [Encyclopedia of the entire musical sciences, or Universal Lexicon of Music]. Vol. 3. Stuttgart: Köhler. p. 57.  
  • Kohut, Adolph (1888). Friedrich Wieck. Ein Lebens- und Künstlerbild [Friedrich Wieck. A Life and Artist Portrait]. Dresden and Leipzig: E. Pierson's Verlag. pp. 93–105.
  • Procházka, Rudolph von (1894). "Ernestine von Fricken, Schumanns erste Braut" [Ernestine von Fricken, Schumann's first bride]. Neue Musikzeitung. 15 (22): 267 f. – Reprint in: Procházka, Rudolph von (1897). Arpeggien : Musikalisches aus alten und neuen Tagen [Arpeggios. Musical works from old and new days]. Prague: Dann. pp. 107 f.
  • Joss, Victor (5 June 1901). "Robert Schumann's Verhältnis zu Ernestine von Fricken" [Robert Schumann's relationship with Ernestine von Fricken]. Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. 68 (23): 312 f.
  • Rychnovsky, Ernst (June 1910). "Robert Schumann und Hauptmann Ferdinand Ignaz von Fricken" [Robert Schumann and Captain Ferdinand Ignaz von Fricken]. Deutsche Arbeit. Monatschrift für das geistige Leben der Deutschen in Böhmen (German Work. Monthly Journal for the Intellectual Life of the Germans in Bohemia). 9 (9): 548–552.
  • Alberti, Karl. Beiträge zur Geschichte der Stadt Asch und des Ascher Bezirkes [Contributions to the History of the City of Asch and the Asch District]. Vol. 4, Asch 1940. pp. 133–140.
  • Schwarz, Werner (1982). "Robert Schumann und Böhmen. Aus unveröffentlichten Briefen und Aufzeichnungen von 1840 bis 1850" [Robert Schumann and Bohemia. From unpublished letters and notes from 1840 to 1850]. In Fritz Feldmann; Hubert Unverricht (eds.). Musik des Ostens [Music of the East]. Vol. 8. Kassel: Bärenreiter. pp. 129–144.
  • Schwake, Paul (1989). "Robert Schumanns "Braut" Ernestine von Fricken. Beziehungen über Gottfried August Ferie zu Ennigerloh" [Robert Schumann's "bride" Ernestine von Fricken. Connections via Gottfried August Ferie to Ennigerloh]. An Ems und Lippe. Heimatkalender für den Kreis Warendorf [An Ems und Lippe Local calendar for the district of Warendorf]. Vol. 3. pp. 45–47.
  • Müller, Volker (2011). "Robert Schumann und Bad Elster" [Robert Schumann and Bad Elster]. In Christoph Dohr (ed.). Almanach für Musik I [Almanac for Music I]. Köln: Dohr. pp. 177–192. ISBN 978-3-936655-79-7.
  • Buchholz, Albin (2012). "Zwei Gedenktafeln für Ernestine von Fricken und Robert Schumann in Aš/Asch. Ein Beitrag zur 200. Wiederkehr des Geburtstages von Robert Schumann" [Two memorial plaques for Ernestine von Fricken and Robert Schumann in Aš/Asch. A contribution to the 200th anniversary of Robert Schumann 's birthday]. Karlovy Vary Museum 20. pp. 305–316.
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