A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Laidlaw, Anna

by George Grove

LAIDLAW, Anna Robena, a lady whom Schumann distinguished by dedicating to her his Fantasiestücke (op. 12), was a Yorkshirewoman, born at Bretton April 30, 1819, educated in Edinburgh at the school of her aunt, and in music by Robert Müller, a pianoforte teacher there. Her family went to Königsberg in 1830, and there her vocation was decided, she improved in playing rapidly, and in three or four years appeared in public at Berlin with great applause. In 34 she was in London studying under Herz, and played at Paganini's farewell concert. In 36 she returned to Berlin, and after a lengthened tour through Prussia, Russia and Austria, returned in 1840 to London. It was during this last stay in Germany that the Fantasiestücke were written.

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