Louise Farrenc (1804–1875)

Born in Paris in 1804 into a family of artists, Louise Dumont studied piano with Moscheles and Hummel, then composition with Anton Reicha, a professor at the Conservatoire. In 1821 she married the flautist Aristide Farrenc, who founded a music publishing house.

A recognised pianist, she first wrote for her own instrument, then took on the large forms, rare for a woman in her time: three symphonies, two piano quintets, a trio and a famous Nonet (1849). The success of this Nonet, performed with the violinist Joseph Joachim, helped her win a salary equal to that of her male colleagues.

In 1842 she became professor of piano at the Paris Conservatoire, a post she held until 1873. Her piano studies, such as the Thirty Studies in All the Major and Minor Keys Op. 26, were adopted there for teaching.

With her husband she also published Le Trésor des pianistes, a large anthology of early keyboard music. She died in Paris in 1875; her music, forgotten for a century, is now played and recorded again.