Mariaa Cecylia Natalia (Natalie) Janotha

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Natalia (Natalie) Janotha (b. Warsaw, June 8, 1856; d. The Hague, June 9, 1932) was a Polish pianist who began performing at the age of 12 in Leipzig, Germany. She became a favorite of London audiences and lived in England for many years. An admirer of Chopin, she often performed his works and translated and supplemented Polish works on the composer. William met Mlle. Janotha in London in 1888.

Natalia Janotha was an accomplished pianist, composer and translator who received the Victoria badge and Diamond Jubilee commemoration medal from Queen Victoria and was appointed court pianist by Emperor William of Germany. Other decorations included a ruby locket from the German emperor, a large diamond locket from Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Beatrice, and the highest diploma from the Academy of St. Cecelia of Rome. King Edward VII awarded her The Order of Merit for Art and Science. Composer Jan Paderewski dedicated two of his opuses to her.(2)(16)(17)(25)(34)(51)

William met Mlle. Janotha while in London in 1888 and 1890.(Diary, 1888-10-08; 1890-07-12) On July 16, 1890 William heard her play and said she “… plays finely in every way.”(Diary) Mlle. Janotha wanted to tour America but William did not encourage the idea.(Diary, 1892-09-26) Mlle. Janotha was taught at first by her father but later studied with a number of others, including Clara Schumann and Brahms. A German review described her at the age of 15 as having a “surprising maturity of understanding” and a “brilliant virtuoso technique.”(51) A translated extract of Mlle. Janotha’s mother’s diary was published in 1890 and describes her daughter’s experience with Clara Schumann, her introduction to London, and also her “intimate acquaintance” with Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale. Hearing her play, said Ms. Lind, was "... one of the most delightful moments in my life.”(14)(21)

Mlle. Janotha lived in England for 30 years(4) and was much admired by English audiences. She performed at a highly regarded concert series at St. James Hal in the years 1878-1882, 1887, 1888, and 1890.(51) One review in 1884 called her an independent self-reliant artist and said her “... evident enthusiasm, which was always one of her chief charms, clings to her as fascinatingly and as infectiously as ever.”(29) She came to the attention of Queen Victoria when she appeared in London at the age of 12 at St. James Hall as a substitute for Clara Schumann, with whom she had been studying. Not long after hearing her play Queen Victoria called her to Windsor to play for the royal family.(21) In 1898 she performed for Queen Victoria at Balmoral castle, playing works by Chopin and Schubert/Liszt and one of her own compositions.(43) She had a home on the Isle of Wight, near to the home of Queen Victoria and was known to have played duets with Princess Beatrice.(13)

As an intimate of the queen and the royal family, Mlle. Janotha was a favorite of the upper levels of society. Lady Tennyson, who had set thirty of her husband’s lyrics to music, considered Mlle. Janotha her protégé and asked her to arrange those songs for a performance of Tennyson’s “Cycle of Songs” in London in 1891.(8)(45)(50) In 1899 she appeared in London playing Bach’s concerto for three pianos with Mrs. Pearl Craigie, American author whose pen name was John Oliver Hobbes, and Lady Randolph Churchill. They were accompanied by an orchestra from the Royal college of Music.(20)(26)(27) One report said that she had played duets and trios that included Princess Henry of Battenberg and with Queen Alexandra sometimes conducting.(39) In support of a charity for the Second Boer War she arranged an entertainment under the patronage of the Duchess of Sutherland.(32) When ex-prime minister Gladstone lay dying Mlle. Janotha was one of the ladies who visited and played to help ease his suffering.(10)(28)

Mlle. Janotha came to America in 1895 as part of a concert tour arranged by the American Contralto Antoinette Sterling.(30)(31) On December 11, 1895 at the Hotel Waldorf in New York City Janotha and Sterling performed along with the actress Ellen Terry. The Musical Courier faulted Janotha’s technique, saying she played in a headlong, incomprehensible style but did report there was much applause. The New York Times described her playing of Beethoven’s C sharp minor sonata as “utterly unemotional” and thus “wholly unnecessary.”(15)(23)(47) William had sent out tickets for the event and noted afterward that notices were mostly unfavorable.(Diary, 1895-12-10, 12-12)

Subsequently a report indicated Miss Sterling abandoned her tour leaving Mlle. Janotha (who was under contract to play only with Sterling) unable to perform as much as she had hoped.(24) She was, however, able to perform as a soloist in a concert at Carnegie Hall in May 1896(6) and she also played for Mrs. Cleveland at the White House in January 1896.(36) She participated in a concert at Carnegie Hall in May 1896 to benefit the Rubenstein fund.(7)(40) In June 1896 she performed and was celebrated as the guest of honor of the New York City Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.(25) Munsey’s Magazine indicated that she was expected to appear in America in January 1897 under the auspices of Steinway & Sons but that never came about, apparently because of William’s death in November 1896.(24)

An admirer of Chopin Mlle. Janotha was known for her translation into English of works about him. These included Chopin as Revealed by Extracts from His Diary(44) and Chopin's Greater Works: How they Should Be Understood. The latter included additional material provided by Mlle. Janotha.(18) In December 1899 it was reported that she was organizing a concert in support of a fund to arrange transfer of Chopin’s remains from Paris to the Cathedral at Warsaw.(42) She also promoted the correction of Chopin’s year of birth from 1809 to 1810.(51) With the author Mrs. Pearl Craigie she prepared a book (to be issued on Chopin’s birthday) displaying passages from Chopin’s works for each day of the year.(19)(49)

She composed about 400 piano pieces, said to clearly show the influence of Chopin. Included among her works are the settings of Lady Tennyson”s songs and an "Ave Maria" composed for the jubilee of Pope Leo XIII. In 1894 and 1896 sheet music for two of her compositions was published in The Girl’s Own Paper, a British story paper catering to girls and young women, One of these was dedicated to her beloved teacher, Madame Schumann.(9)(14)(38) She also composed “The Eagle,” a patriotic song dedicated to Christopher Columbus.(45)

Mlle. Janotha had a dog named Prince White Heather. When she gave a concert she insisted he be placed on stage with her during the performance.(41) She also had a black cat named White Heather who accompanied her almost everywhere. The cat was subsequently dubbed the Marquis of Haddock, because of his fondness for the fish. The German Emperor christened him Othello. Mlle. Janotha took him on visits to Queen Victoria, who gave him a gold necklace and arranged special meals said to be served to him in state.(11)(22)(52) At a social event attended by the president of the French Republic, she even approached the president with her cat, who placed his paw in the president’s hand.(11) White Heather was also with her when she played at the White House.(36) The name of “White Heather” was thought to have been chosen because that flower grows nearest Heaven and Mlle. Janotha was a practicing Catholic who had pledged to perform acts of piety and charity.(33)

Unfortunately Mlle. Janotha had a somewhat erratic and mercurial temper. She lived with Baroness Camille von Perglass some fifteen years and the Baroness was with her in New York in 1895. They both visited William and plagued him with requests for financial assistance. He lent the Baroness $30, after he learned both she and Mlle. Janotha were “pennyless.”(Diary, 1895-11-18, 11-24, 11-29, 12-04) By December 1905 the Baroness and Mlle. Janotha had parted, Janotha having claimed that the Baroness had destroyed her cat. When the Baroness was accused of stealing a trinket at a charity bazaar, her counsel advised the police it was the result of a conspiracy devised by Mlle. Janotha, a “jealous, backbiting woman,” who had threatened to ruin the Countess. Janotha was asked but declined to attend the subsequent proceedings and the Baroness was discharged.(1)(3)

Apparently not averse to making enemies, when she was in New York Mlle. Janotha met Mrs. Pierce, the sister of Theodore Thomas, and picked a quarrel with her over comments Mrs. Pierce had included in a book about her visit to Germany many years before. Mrs. Pierce described a gown Janotha wore as one given to her by the empress. Mlle. Janotha claimed that was false and that the book should be reissued. Mrs. Pierce declined unless Mlle. Janotha was willing to pay for it.(12) William learned of the controversy when Mrs. Pierce called upon him complaining of the insult.(Diary, 1896-02-08) Earlier William had complained about Mlle. Janotha and the Baroness :”… constantly changing their minds and quarelling with each other.(Diary, 1895-12-12) After the start of the first World War Mlle. Janotha’s temper flared again. Despite her familiarity with the queen and court the pianist developed a fierce hatred for the British and was heard to denounce the British in violent and contemptuous terms. This led to her deportation.(2)(5)(16) She settled in The Hague, where she performed occasionally as accompanist to a dancer. She died there in 1932.(14)

Mlle. Janotha was one of the artists selected for a performance on a piano roll of the Aeolian Co.(35) She made four recordings heard by the music critic Harold C. Schonberg who wrote about her, as one of Clara Schumann’s pupils, in 1963. He noted that Mlle. Janotha’s recording of Mendelssohn’s Spinning Song stated on the label that she held the record for the rapidity of her execution. He commented, “On the basis of her records, she was anything but a sensitive pianist, and certainly not a good musician, but at least she could get around the keyboard.”(41)(51) Apparently her rapid playing was considered noteworthy. An article in The Evening World in 1892 reported that she once had performed a presto by Mendelssohn, playing 5,595 notes in four minutes and three seconds.(37)

For a postal card image of Natalia Janotha with her black cat, White Heather, click on: https://www.schumann-portal.de/nathalie-janotha-1373.html
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Sources:

1.“Accuse Peeress of Stealing a Trinket,” The St. Louis Republic, December 3, 1905, Part 2, p.2.
2 “Alexandra’s Friend and Kaiser’s Pianist is Jailed in London,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 30, 1915, p. 8. 
3. “Baroness Victim of Jealous Spite,” The Minneapolis Journal, December 3, 1905, p. 3.
4. “British Deport Kaisers Pianist,” The New York Times, August 10, 1915, p. 2.
5. “Britons Arrest and Deport Kaiser’s Court Pianiste,” The Sun, August 10, 1915, p. 2.
6. “City and Vicinity,” The New York Times, May 11, 1896, p. 8.
7. “For the Rubenstein Fund,” New-York Tribune, May 11, 1896, p. 7.
8. “Foreign Stage News,” The New York Times, March 20, 1892, p.13.
9. The Girl’s Own Paper, 1882-1902, available from Victorian Voices,net web site https://www.victorianvoices.net/topics/music/GOP.shtml
10. “Gladstone’s Mortal Illness,” The [Washington, DC] Evening Times, April 26, 1898, p. 6.
11. “Gleanings,” New-York Tribune, August 6, 1903, p.7.
12. “Gone Music wild,” St. Paul Daily Globe, January 6, 1896, p. 6.
13. “Items of Interest,” The Morning [Savannah] News, February 20, 1900, p. 4.
14. “Janotha, (Maria Cecylia) Natalia”, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980.
15. “Janotha and Sterling Reception,” The Musical Courier, December 18, 1895, p. 27.
16. “Kaiser’s Pianist Arrested,” Evening Star (Washington,DC), August 10, 1915,p. 5.
17. “Kaiser’s Pianiste Seized in London,” New-York Tribune, August 10, 1915, p. 5.
18. Kleczynski, Jean. Chopin’s Greater Works: How They Should Be Understood, Tr. With additions by Natalie Janotha. London: W. Reeves, 1912.
19. “Literary Notes,” The Indianapolis Journal, November 5, 1899, Part 2, p. 12.
20. “London Concerts and Recitals, Concerts,” The Musical Times, August 1, 1899, No. 678, v. 40, p. 545.
21. “Madame Schumann and Natalie Janotha,” in Murray’s Magazine, Vol. 7, (January-June 1890), p. 68-71.
22. “The Marquis of Haddock,” The Sun, March 12, 1899, p. 17.
23. “Miss Janotha and Mme. Sterling,” The New York Times, December 12, 1895, p.4.
24. “Miss Janotha’s Chopin book,” in Munsey’s Magazine, Vol. XV (April-September 1896), p. 607.
25. “Mlle. Janotha the Guest of Honor,” New-York Tribune, June 7, 1896, p. 7.
26. ”Mrs. Craigie, Author, Dies while Asleep,” The New York Times, August 14, 1906, p. 7.
27. “Music and Musicians,” The Sun, August 6, 1899, Part 2, p. 3.
28. “Music is Gladstone’s Solace,” The [Savannah] Morning News, May 7, 1898, p. 2.
29. “Musical Intelligence,” The Musical Standard, February 9, 1884, p. 85.
30. “Musical Mattters,” New-York Tribune, October 13, 1895, p. 22.
31. “Musical Matters, Minor Notes,” New-York Tribune, November 3, 1895, p. 21.
32. “News of Two Capitals, London,” New-York Tribune, March 25, 1900, p. 9.
33. “New Devotion to Our Lady,” The Catholic Bulletin, April 4, 1914, p. 1.
34. “Obituary Printed but Cat Came Back,” The Washington Times, October 23, 1904, p. 5.
35. “The Pianola Piano [advertisement],” New-York Tribune, February 11, 1906, p. 2.
36. “Played for Mrs. Cleveland,” Evening Star [Washington, DC], January 29, 1896, p. 6.
37. “Rapid Execution on a Piano,” The Evening World (Extra 2 o’clock), March 3, 1892, p. 3.
38. Ronald, Landon, "Some Famous Lady Pianists of Today,” In The Lady's Realm, Vol.VIII (May-October 1900), p. 616. London: Hutchinson & Co.
39. “Royal Amateurs,” The Washington Times, November 10, 1901, Part 2, p. 8.
40. “The Rubenstein Fund Concert,” The Sun, May 21, 1896, p. 5.
41. Schonberg, Harold C. The Great Pianists. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1963, pp. 335-6.
42. “Sharps Flats,” The Record Union [Sacramento], December 24, 1899, p. 7.
43. “Silk Programme for a Concert at Balmoral Castle,” available from the Victoria and Albert web site https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/01300023/silk-programme-for-a-concert-silk-programme/
44. Tarnowski (Count,) Stanislaw. Chopin as Revealed by Extracts from His Diary Tr. By Natalie Janotha. London: William Reeves, 1906.
45. “Tennyson’s “Cycle of Songs,” The Sun, March 14, 1891, p. 7.
46. “Theatrical Gossip,” The New York Times, September 18, 1898, p. 10.
47. “untitled.” The Sun, December 1, 1895, p. 7.
48. “untitled,” New-York Tribune, March 25, 1900, p. 9.
49. “untitled,” The [Richmond] Times, January 28, 1900 p. 16.
50. Weliver, Phyllis. Mary Gladstone and the Victorian Salon; Music, Literature, Liberalism. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2017, p. 218.
51. Wichmann, Jannis, “Janotha (Marie Cecilia Cecylia, Cäcilia) Natalie, Nathalie, Natalia” in European Instrumentalists of the 18th and 19th Centuries available from the Sophie Drinker Institut https://www.sophie-drinker-institut.de/janotha-natalie
52. “World Famous Cats,” Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, June 14, 1907, p. 1.