Erinnerung, Op. 24 (“Remembrance”) by Dora Pejačević

Dora Pejačević was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1885. As one of the most distinguished noble families in Croatia, her father’s title was Count Teodor Pejačević. Her mother, the Baroness Lilla Vay de Vaya, was herself a fine pianist and gave Dora her first piano lessons.

Musically Dora was largely self-taught and considered the violin to be her primary instrument. She began to compose at the age of 12 and left behind a considerable catalogue of 58 opuses (106 compositions), mostly in late Romantic style, including songs, piano works, chamber music, and several compositions for large orchestra, arguably her best. Her Symphony in F-sharp minor is considered by scholars the first modern symphony in Croatian music.

She married Ottomar von Lumbe in 1921 and died in Munich in 1923 from complications following a difficult childbirth. Her life is the subject of a fictionalized Croatian biographical film Countess Dora (1993), directed by Zvonimir Berković and starring Alma Prica and Rade Šerbedžija.

Erinnerung, or “Remembrance” was published in 1908. The original work is accessible on imslp.org. Fingering is editorial as are occasional courtesy accidentals e.g. ms 29 and 31.