Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf was a Finnish-German composer born on August 24, 1840, in Saint Petersburg. She was the daughter of Finnish parents Margareta Åkerman and Otto Starck. Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf showed musical talent from a young age and studied piano with notable teachers such as Nicolas von Martinoff and Adolf Henselt. She also studied composition with Constantin Decker and completed her studies under Franz Liszt in Weimar. In 1861, she married fellow pianist-composer Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff.
After her marriage, Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf toured Europe as a concert pianist until 1867 when she had to stop due to her husband’s appointment as the general manager of the Royal Theatre in Hanover. Despite this change, she continued her musical career by composing operas, chamber music, instrumental pieces, and numerous songs. Some of her notable works include operas like “Die Göttin von Sais,” “Jery und Bätely,” “König Hiarne,” and “Die Sühne,” as well as compositions such as the Kaiser Wilhelm March and various chamber music pieces.
Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf’s style was characterized by lavishness, drama, and free form, showcasing her exceptional pianistic skills. She composed approximately eighty Lieder and four operas during her lifetime. Despite falling into obscurity after her death, her work reflects influences from Liszt and Wagner’s New German School aesthetic.
