Pejačević: Complete Symphonic Works

Dora Pejačević considered her symphony to be her most significant work. Yet at its premiere, a crucial detail was missing: her full name. The program notes for the first performances in Vienna and Dresden merely stated "D. Pejacsevich." Why did the composer leave her first name unmentioned? And would the audience have reacted differently if it had been clear that the symphony was written by a woman? Is there such a thing as "female" and "male" music? In any case, the life path of the Croatian composer Dora Pejačević clearly shows that she—like many other female composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries—barely received the same opportunities in the music industry as her male colleagues. However, her aristocratic background and a mother who composed herself provided her with certain freedoms. Step by step, Pejačević found her way into concert programs throughout the Danube Monarchy, with works ranging from piano and vocal music to the "male"-connoted genre of the symphony. The reception of her music illustrates how difficult it is to categorize music by gender: while some critics described her compositions as "feminine," others saw in them "masculine" expressive power. What remains undisputed, however, is Dora Pejačević’s artistic significance—as one of the outstanding composers of her era. Featuring mezzo-soprano Annika Schlicht, Martina Filjak on piano, and the Staatskapelle Weimar conducted by Ivan Repušić. The album includes a world premiere recording of the Nocturne, Op. 50/1 arranged for orchestra.