Most of the information presented in this chapter about Eugenia Osterberger is drawn from the book1 and two journal articles2 by researchers Beatriz López-Suevos Hernández, Susana de Lorenzo González, and María del Rosario Martínez Martínez. I clarify this beforehand to avoid excessive citations that may disrupt the reading flow. Any literal quotations or references to other sources will be explicitly indicated.

In addition to this in-depth research project, I looked for other references to Eugenia and found that she is only mentioned in Wikipedia3, in a map, a blog-webpage and in a mini-booklet of Galician women composers, in one research article from the author Montserrat Capelán4, and in a few short online journal articles which mainly talk about Eugenia with information from the Galician authors’ research or performance, the CD with her music, or she is just mentioned as an existence Galician composer5. There were also two radio interviews carried out in 2013-2014 because of the main investigation made and to spread that work6. Moreover, it is interesting to mention that Margarita Soto Viso, an interpreter, and composer born in 1957, has performed some of her pieces (you can two of these performances in YouTube7) and has been interested in highlighting Galician woman composers, giving mention to Eugenia Saunier Osterberger8.

Eugenia Osterberger was a cultured woman with remarkable artistic talent, a rarity in 19th-century Galicia, where women had limited opportunities to pursue careers in music or the arts. A pianist, composer, and teacher, her life was shaped by her cosmopolitan education, her dedication to Galician culture, and her ability to navigate an artistic world dominated by men. Throughout her career, she lived in three cities that marked different phases of her life: Santiago de Compostela, where she was born; A Coruña, where she built her musical career and became involved in the intellectual circles of the time; and Nice, where she spent her later years. Below is her biography divided into these three stages.

1. Santiago de Compostela and Training in France (1852-1879)

Eugenia Osterberger9 was born in Santiago de Compostela on December 20, 1852, into a family with both Galician and French roots. Her father, Jorge Osterberger, was a prominent Alsatian lithographer who settled in Galicia, while her mother, Emilia Luard Álvarez, was from A Coruña10. Despite her surname, Eugenia was Galician by birth and maternal heritage. Her education was influenced by both Galician and French cultures, allowing her to speak fluent Galician, Spanish, and French.

From a young age, Eugenia showed a strong passion for music. In 1861, before turning nine, her maternal uncle, Justo Luard, gave her a piano, marking the beginning of her musical education. It is believed that Mariano Tafall, the organist at Santiago Cathedral at the time, may have been her first teacher. However, her education was not limited to local instruction. Aware of the importance of a broader education, which was much harder to receive in 19th-century Galicia, her family sent her to France, where she studied at the religious school of Juilly, near Paris. This training not only expanded her knowledge but also gave her professional independence: by mastering both French and music, she was able to support herself as a teacher without needing to marry.

In 1874, she returned to Santiago, where she lived until 1879. During these years, she worked as a piano and French teacher while also focusing on composition. Thanks to an advertisement in a 1875 newspaper, we know she offered French lessons, confirming her teaching work. She also corresponded with Canuto Berea, the leading supplier of sheet music and musical instruments in Galicia. She regularly ordered piano music from his store in A Coruña, demonstrating her ongoing interest in expanding her musical knowledge and repertoire.

2. A Coruña: Family Life and Artistic Growth (1879-1908)

On October 20, 1879, Eugenia married Francisco Saunier Goubard, a French engineer who ran the gas factory in Santiago. The couple settled in A Coruña, where Eugenia entered a new phase both personally and artistically, and her husband was appointed director of the gas factory in the city. Although they had seven children between 1880 and 1894, Eugenia never lost her passion for music or her teaching work. It is likely that she continued giving piano and French lessons to her children as well as to other students.

In late 19th-century A Coruña, a bourgeois and cosmopolitan society, music and theater played a central role in cultural life. Eugenia fully immersed herself in this environment, building relationships with artists and intellectuals and joining circles like the “Liga Gallega”11 and the “Sociedad del Folklore Gallego”12. Her dedication to Galician culture led her to compose works with Galician texts, using poems by authors like Filomena Dato, Carlos Vaamonde, and the Marquis of Figueroa, who, like her, supported Galicia's cultural identity. She also kept in touch with Emilia Pardo Bazán13 and hosted several literary and musical gatherings in her home.

One of the most notable events in her social life was the Liga Gallega party held at her home in A Coruña in July 1895. Key figures of the Galician nationalist movement14, such as Manuel Murguía, Emilia Pardo Bazán, and other intellectuals, attended the gathering. During the event, Eugenia performed some of her own compositions on the piano, showcasing her commitment to Galician music. The press highlighted the success of the event, Eugenia’s active role as a performer, and her promotion of Galician culture through her piece ¡Adiós a Galicia!.

In addition to her local artistic circle, Eugenia maintained a connection with the Lutosławski family15, of Polish origin. Her friendship with the Lutosławski family, known for their connections to European culture and intellectual circles, demonstrates the international scope of her contacts and her position within a refined cultural environment.

Despite the constraints placed on women of her time, Eugenia found ways to nurture her artistic talent. Her name appeared in brief press notes tied to charity events and cultural gatherings, though her compositional work was not publicly recognized due to the prevailing biases against women in the arts. In 1907, her career was finally acknowledged when she was named a Corresponding Member of the "Real Academia Galega16'', an honor she shared with Sofía Casanova17.

Alongside her musical career, Eugenia was also active in charitable causes, such as the "Padroado de Colonias Escolares" association18. She co-founded this organization with Pardo Bazán and helped organize fundraising events for causes like the cholera epidemic, flooding in other Spanish provinces, and the Cuban War.

In 1908, after nearly three decades in A Coruña, Eugenia and her family moved to Nice, where they would live until her death.

3. Nice: Final Years and Musical Legacy (1908-1932)

The move to Nice marked a new chapter in Eugenia’s life. Her children gained French nationality and began their careers in France, while she continued composing. Though few records remain from this time, her sheet music dated between 1919 and 1923 shows that she never stopped creating music.

In Nice, Eugenia kept in touch with musicians like Théodore Akimenko, a Ukrainian composer and Igor Stravinsky’s first teacher, and Gabriel Bonincontro, an Italian-French composer. Both dedicated works to her: Akimenko composed Chant Printanier in her honor, while Bonincontro orchestrated some of her pieces, such as Mignardises and Viens. This suggests that Eugenia remained active in the musical circles of the city.

Her husband passed away in 1918, and after that, there are few records of her life. Eugenia died in Nice in 1932, leaving behind a musical legacy that, although not recognized in her time, represents an invaluable contribution to the history of Galician and French music.

The artistic landscape of 19th- and early 20th-century Europe was shaped by rigid gender expectations that heavily restricted women’s participation in professional music composition. While cultural salons played a key role in fostering artistic exchange, they often reinforced the notion that women’s musical creativity belonged in the private sphere. Female composers were typically confined to smaller, more intimate genres and musical forms such as Lieder and chamber music rather than large-scale orchestral works19. Some female composers of this century had to use male pseudonyms to publish their work, while many others continued their activities linked to "salon music," which was considered a lesser genre compared to true compositional professionalism. As the author Manko20 observes, “Female composers usually composed art songs to be performed in small recitals, not orchestral symphonies... because women composers didn't compose a lot of symphonies, they were not considered to be significant as composers.” These biases, combined with societal norms that emphasized a woman's role as a wife, mother, and homemaker, severely limited their creative opportunities.

Despite these constraints, many women pursued composition, yet their contributions were largely overlooked. Hernández Romero21 questions this erasure, asking, “Why were they not mentioned in history books, why are their works hardly known, why do they appear only to a limited extent in concerts, why are they not included in the curricula of conservatories?” Even those who gained some recognition often did so in the shadow of male relatives or colleagues.

Clara Wieck Schumann (1819–1896), Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805–1847), Louise Reichardt (1779–1826), and Josephine Lang (1815–1880)—most of whom were contemporaries of Eugenia—each encountered systemic barriers, from educational limitations to performance restrictions. Clara Schumann, for instance, struggled to balance her role as a composer with her family obligations, while Fanny Mendelssohn’s works were frequently published under her brother Felix’s name. Reichardt and Lang, like many other women, relied on teaching and composing smaller forms of music to sustain their careers.

British composers Ethel Smyth (1858–1944) and Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979) faced similar struggles. Smyth, a pioneer for women in composition, encountered patriarchal resistance throughout her career, from limited educational opportunities to dismissive attitudes toward her operatic works. Clarke, a talented violist and composer, navigated a music world that often trivialized women’s compositions, subjecting them to gendered criticism that minimized their artistic achievements22. Their experiences highlight the persistent exclusion of women from the classical canon, a challenge also faced by Eugenia Osterberger in Galicia.

With all of the above said, we know many women composed music, yet much of their work remained unpublished, making it difficult to access today. Some compositions are still preserved in private archives, but many have likely been lost or destroyed over time. Whether or not their works were published, they were often performed only in private or semi-private settings, which limited their reach despite the existence of reviews documenting such events. In many cases, these pieces were written for specific occasions and were not played again afterward. Although similar challenges exist in the rediscovery of male composers' works, they are particularly significant when it comes to women, whose contributions have been even more vulnerable to neglect and erasure.

Eugenia Osterberger’s case shows as well all of these issues. As I have mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, there is only one investigation about her that was made in 2013 and a book, and that is the only reliable source we have about her.

During her life, she was mostly known as “woman of”, or known by her husband's name – Saunier – and she is mentioned in the press or other notes as a teacher, pianist, or performer, but never as a composer. This fact was never reflected in press notes, reviews, letters, or announcements of events in which she participated and used to play.

Women like Eugenia Osterberger deserve recognition because of the social barriers they have faced. Their attitudes, influence in artistic circles, and cultural contributions are essential to comprehend our roots and our cultural identity. However, the publication of their works was conditioned by male patronage and the need to maintain an unblemished family reputation. Researchers exploring this female domain are confronted with a lack of sources, which makes it difficult to understand the lives and works of these women, evidencing the gender discrimination of the time23.

There are barely any Galician or Spanish woman composers whose music is often performed or even known, and less contemporary to Eugenia. I searched about other names of Galician woman composers, and I only found names from s.XX and s.XXI. There is one interesting website I found created by Aine Lineros Rivera has a lot of names and links to IMSLP scores of many women composers throughout history.

Although it is a nice webpage overall, our Eugenia Osterberger is not even mentioned, and the Galician composers do not have links to any of their compositions.

I also find this map very interesting. In Galicia, Eugenia does appear, as well as her student Pilar Castillo (1895 - 1942), who also was a composer and student from Eugenia.

Another useful and interesting website (in Spanish) I found is “Música Escrita por Mujeres” (linkear), where many names of women composers can be found, as well as information about them and recordings of their compositions. You can also search them by period. Eugenia Osterberger also appears in this website.

Galician woman composers from late s.XIX and beginning of s.XX have a lot in common: they were only a few, after their death they were remained completely invisible as artist because their music was not edited anymore or barely performed. Only at the end of s.XX and s.XXI some of their names started slowly and superficially to be known again.

Herewith I wanted to create a small list of Galician woman composers who lived at any time of their lives during the years that Eugenia lived24:

In contrast to the few female composers from Galicia during this time, the Galician classical music scene boasted several prominent male names, such as Canuto Berea, Marcial del Adalid, Andrés Gaos, José Baldomir, Xoán Montes, and Jesús Bal y Gay, who embraced romantic and modernist styles. On this website, there is a list of Galician composers categorized by period, but only two female composers, Obdulia Prieto and Milagros Porta Siso, are mentioned among those from the early 20th century.

In summary, the cultural education and compositional work that Eugenia Osterberger achieved in her era were exceptional accomplishments, as opportunities for women to pursue artistic creation at the time were very limited. The chances of having their works published were even rarer — milestones that Osterberger successfully reached.

The authors highlight that Eugenia Osterberger's cultural background and compositional achievements were extraordinary, especially when compared to the few women born in mid-19th century Galicia who managed to achieve similar success. During that period, the opportunities for women to dedicate themselves to artistic creation were extremely scarce, and the chances of seeing their works published were even more unlikely — achievements that Osterberger did, in fact, attain.

I conclude this section with a quote from the three authors: "A people that respects itself cannot ignore a woman who contributed to the enrichment of its culture by dedicating her effort, intellectual capacity, and artistic talent to the music of our country."25

We can glimpse the personality of the Galician composer through her correspondence26 with Canuto Berea, the owner of the most important musical store and printing house in A Coruña, which bears his name. This relationship was crucial in Eugenia's life, as he was not only her friend but also her editor and a trusted musician to whom she turned for advice and opinions on her compositions.

In 1875, at the age of 23, Eugenia Osterberger wrote a letter to Canuto Berea that reveals one of her most intimate and passionate sides. For Eugenia, music was much more than a superficial entertainment. In her words, “without that instrument, I remain and will always remain a body without soul, a spirit without nourishment,” showing her deep emotional connection with the piano. What stands out in this letter is not only her love for music but also her dedication to composition. She mentions some unfinished pieces, such as “a Sonata, an Impromptu, and a Terceto, of my composition,” and informs Berea that she will send them for his judgment. This testimony demonstrates that even in her youth, Eugenia was actively composing music.

Moreover, the letter reflects aspects of her daily life. She mentions that, despite receiving invitations to attend parties in Coruña, she decided not to go, preferring to focus on her creative work. This commitment to her art aligns with her character: a sensitive woman with a rich inner life who did not allow social expectations to interfere with her passion for music.

According to her letters, Eugenia’s health seems to have been a constant problem. Although the specific ailment is not detailed, it is evident that her health issues affected her daily life. Despite this, her dedication to music never faltered. In 1878, she complains in a letter to Berea about not being able to give lessons and asks him to rent her a piano. “I’m terribly bored,” she confesses, emphasizing that the piano would be her only relief. She mentioned that if it was not an “adequate instrument,” she would prefer that it not be sent, and although she knew the piano would cost more than originally estimated, her love for music led her to ask Berea, “do not destroy my hopes, for the disease already destroys them enough.”

Once married, in 1904, Eugenia remained active in her compositional work. In a letter written in French, she mentions a piece she has sent to Berea, asking if he has had the chance to review it and suggesting it might be published, as “I see possibilities that it will sell easily.” She also refers to another composition where she had identified two errors she would like to correct. These letters make it clear that, throughout her life, Eugenia never stopped being a composer deeply committed to her art, despite the personal and social challenges she may have faced.

The impression I would like to share about Eugenia, after reading the information about in her letters and her life, is that she was a strong and determined woman who always fought to make a place for herself as an artist, despite the difficult and predominantly male landscape of her time. She tried to publish several of her compositions, though not always successfully; she performed in public places and fought to acquire her beloved piano, even when her financial and health circumstances were unfavourable. She founded her own salon to give concerts, where she not only presented her own works but also those of other artists, and she shared her knowledge by teaching piano. All of this, while also dedicating herself to household tasks and raising her seven children. Additionally, I find her participation in intellectual circles and her connection with figures advocating for the defense of Galician cultural heritage, such as the “Sociedad del Folklore Gallego”27, the “Liga Gallega”28, the “Real Academia Galega”29, and the “Cova Céltica”30 particularly noteworthy.

Although her socioeconomic position facilitated and enabled her activity, Eugenia was highly esteemed publicly for the praise she received for her altruism and concern for social causes. Researchers also highlight her concern for the education and health of Galician children, as she participated in the “Padroado das Colonias Escolares da Coruña” and donated sheet music of her compositions. She also gave 25 copies of her work Cantigas y melodías Gallegas to the journal “Región Galaica” of Buenos Aires31. In a note in this journal-magazine, Eugenia is quoted expressing her love for Galicia and her satisfaction knowing that “the songs of our villages sometimes resonate in this land where so many Galician hearts reside”32. This mention underscores Eugenia’s emotional connection with Galician emigration to Argentina. She was also highly regarded by the Lutoslawski couple, who praised her pianistic, singing, and compositional skills at an event organized by the “Liga Gallega”33. Finally, her friendship and correspondence with Sofía Casanova testify to how both women reflected on their time's political and social issues, such as the “disaster of 1898”34.

Ultimately, Eugenia Osterberger's letters to Canuto Berea reveal a heart deeply in tune with music, a spirit determined to overcome personal challenges, and a commitment to her craft that never wavered. Through her words, we sense the depth of her passion and her unwavering dedication to her art.

This section outlines the key artistic influences that shaped Eugenia S. Osterberger’s life and work, many of which were already discussed in section 1.1.

• Early acquisition of piano at home.

• French education.

• Strong connections with Galician cultural circles and a deep commitment to the language and culture of her homeland. She participated in meetings of the Sociedad del Folklore Gallego (Galician Folklore Society), founded by Emilia Pardo Bazán (footnote on who she was), and was a "Miembro Correspondiente" (Corresponding Member) of the “Real Academia Gallega”

• Relationship with Emilia Pardo Bazán and Sofía Casanova, among other woman and personalities.

• Establishment of her own "salon" at home, where meetings were held with select members of the Saunier family, and numerous musical pieces were performed. These gatherings also included discussions and poetry readings, in which Eugenia played an active role. This environment likely served as a hub for the exchange of ideas and a space for musicians and artists of the time to share their work. As the host, Eugenia may have had greater freedom to showcase her own compositions.

• Galician Poetry: Eugenia incorporated lyrics in Galician into her compositions for voice and piano, drawing on works by poets such as Filomena Dato Murais, Carlos Vaamonde Lores, and the Marqués de Figueroa, who were involved in gatherings like the "Cova Céltica.". These poets fought to defend, celebrate, and preserve Galician culture.

• Relationship with composers Akimenko and Gabriel Bonincontro when she moved to Nice.

• Romantic-French influences from intimate poetry, particularly from Marceline Desbordes-Valmore. Eugenia used her texts in the composition Les roses de Saadi, drawing on the romantic symbolism of the rose (beauty and ephemerality) and the reflections of the Persian poet Saadi, who meditates on the melancholy that lingers after fleeting moments.

• Influence of Galician and Spanish musical traditions, shaped by the place where she lived and the music shared there, including elements of Galician and Spanish folklore.

• Academic trends in classical music during her time, especially those from Germany and France. Osterberger composed pieces based on popular themes but in a refined style, similar to the German’s approach with the Lied, or the French chanson, which served as her model. Moreover, we know she work in and played pieces from the most famous composers of the time, like Beethoven, Weber or Berlioz.

If I had to define Eugenia Osterberger’s music in a few words, I would say it is honest, beautifully simple, and refined in taste. Her compositions have the ability to touch the soul while being highly pleasing to the ear, blending subtle elements of traditional music with the stylistic trends of the era. Before delving into some of her works and presenting them, it is essential to provide some context on the types of compositions that were being created at the time.

The 19th century was the golden age of the piano, an instrument that, whether as a soloist or an accompaniment, dominated both concert halls and the domestic spaces of the emerging urban middle class. López-Suevos35 establishes a clear distinction between two main categories of piano works:

The "bravura" compositions, which included fugues, sonatas, and theme-and-variation pieces, required exceptional technical skill and were designed to captivate and impress audiences, whether in grand concert halls or the salons of affluent families. In terms of gender and professionalization, these compositions were largely dominated by men, who had the opportunity to fully dedicate themselves to musical creation and gain public recognition as composers and performers.

On the other hand, there were "domestic consumption" pieces, which were more accessible to amateur performers and intended for private musical practice. The researchers categorize within this genre stylized pieces—meant to be performed in home "salons" and aligned with European trends—of a lyrical nature (melodies, romances, cantigas, arias) as well as works inspired by popular dances. Additionally, salon piano genres that evoke a particular expression or mood (impromptus, ballads, bagatelles, romances, pensées, berceuses, scherzi, petits morceaux) or that originated from popular dances associated with salons (polonaises, mazurkas, minuets, valses, or marches) also fall within this category. Women composers were largely confined to this domestic sphere and type of composition—such is the case with virtually all the known works of Eugenia Osterberger—without ever receiving the level of recognition that their male counterparts achieved.

In this research, I will focus primarily on the works found in Galician archives or those linked to Galician culture, as they generally have the strongest connection to my homeland. As I will explain further in Chapter 2, some scores were never even published, and in some cases, the editor and the year of composition remain unknown. As Capelán states in her article36 regarding many piano pieces from this period: "All the works were taken either from manuscripts or from old editions that are no longer in circulation, making this a repertoire that, until now, was not accessible to pianists.". Furthermore, most of these compositions were written during her married years, which is why her works are often signed with her married name, Saunier, omitting Osterberger altogether.

As previously mentioned, in A Coruña, "the salons organized by the Santiago-born composer Eugenia Osterberger held a prominent place"37. These gatherings, held every Wednesday until 1908, featured conversations, poetry readings, and musical performances, often showcasing vocal and piano compositions from operatic excerpts or works by local musicians, including Eugenia herself. It is likely that during these meetings, she performed several of her Galician melodies or small salon piano pieces.

In this section, I will discuss some of her most notable works, some of which will be arranged for oboe. I will also include links to recordings of the original pieces that are available and their score. I have categorized her works into three groups: compositions for piano and harpsichord (solo pieces), voice and piano and chamber music.

As previously mentioned, most of Eugenia’s piano works were small pieces for piano or harpsichord, belonging to the repertoire known as salon music. This genre was widely cultivated by composers not only in Galicia but also in other regions. Additionally, as Capelán states, "In the Galician context, salon music also became the epicenter of the Galician Musical Rexurdimento. In the pursuit of an academic music with its own distinctive characteristics, short-form compositions played a fundamental role."38

Recently, I have also discovered two books published by “Monte Victoria” that compile Eugenia Osterberger’s piano works: Grandes Compositoras al Piano II 39 and Eugenia Osterberger: Théâtre Illustré y Otras Piezas Para Piano. These collections include some works that do not appear in López-Suevos' research.

The following works were found in the “Biblioteca Municipal de Estudos Locais de A Coruña (Fondo Cartelle)” and the “Arquivo da Deputación de A Coruña (Fondo Berea)”. Although they have French titles and exhibit characteristics of classical European styles and salon music, all of them were composed while Eugenia was still living in Galicia.

• Piano pieces

1ere Polonaise pour piano op.78

This piece follows the style of the polonaises40. During the Romantic period, polonaises became ternary pieces in both meter and form, gaining great popularity in European salons and showcasing pianistic virtuosity. In its central Cantabile section, we find one of the composer’s characteristic rhythmic patterns, which also appears in other pieces:

Piano Le Rouet de Grand Mamam (Fileuse) op.148

In this piece, the main element is the eighth-note rhythmic pattern played by the left hand, symbolizing the relentless motion of the spinning wheel (Fileuse in French). Equally important is the sustained low note at the beginning of each measure, which functions as a pedal, driving the rhythm and reinforcing the sense of continuity. The piece is dedicated to a woman, Mademoiselle Alicie Granier.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Pavana Luis XIII, op.93

The piece features a simple homophonic accompaniment based on eighth notes and basic harmonies. It is composed in C major, with brief passages in its relative minor (A minor) and a modulation to the closely related key of F major. The accompaniment is designed to highlight the melody of a dance traditionally associated with a solemn and serious character. However, Eugenia seeks to give it a lighter feel through the indication a tempo tranquilo e grazioso. This piece, for which no recordings have been preserved, was particularly popular in its band arrangement, though this version has not been found. Like the previous piece, it is also dedicated to a woman, Srta. Da. Dolores López Pardo Morillo.

Valses Insinuante, Les Hirondelles and Lucía

As López-Suevos points out, "the waltz is the most popular ballroom dance of the 19th century and the most celebrated dance in the history of Western music"41. All of Osterberger’s ternary-meter pieces include a slow introduction before transitioning into the waltz itself. Two of them, Les Hirondelles and Lucía, are also dedicated to women.

Click to listen to a recording of Insinuante, by Margarita Viso Soto

• Harpsichord pieces

On the other hand, there are short keyboard pieces—only two or three pages long—with minimal technical difficulty, a classical style, and echoes of the French Baroque. In 1889, "the Érard, Pleyel, and Tomasini firms presented new harpsichord models at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, opening up new possibilities for this instrument" (footnote p.94).

In these pieces, the hands interact through imitations of motifs, counterpoint, and call-and-response patterns, which were common in early harpsichord compositions. They generally feature contrasting articulations, while the harmony frequently shifts between major and minor modes. The following piece exemplifies these characteristics:

Au fil de l’eau

Marked with the indication Dentelles, a French word meaning "lace" or "trims," this type of composition is characterized by fast figurations, such as scales and arpeggios, along with delicate ornamentation like trills and mordents. It is uncertain whether it was originally intended for harpsichord, but these elements are clearly present in the piece.

Farfadets

The word Farfadets comes from French and refers to mythological creatures similar to mischievous elves or fairies in French folklore. In music, it is associated with pieces that evoke their light, playful, and often mysterious nature, which is particularly evident in the B section. Some defining characteristics of these pieces include fast rhythms, delicate figurations with short articulation to enhance their playful character, and the use of rapid scales. In this particular piece, descending chromatic scales appear frequently, along with constant changes in articulation and dynamics.

Le Joeur de flûte (nr. 8) / Menuet au Trianon (nr. 9) / Danse Jacquelinette!... (Piece de clavecín nr. 3) / Musettes (Piece de clavecín nr. 2) / Petits papillons blancs (Piece de clavecín nr. 3)

They share very similar characteristics with Au fil de l’eau.

The last three of these pieces belong to a collection of harpsichord works titled Mignardises. It is also likely that Le Joueur de Flûte (No. 8) and Menuet au Trianon (No. 9) are part of this collection, despite not being explicitly indicated in their scores.

No recordings of these pieces exist for harpsichord or piano. Given their two contrapuntal melodic lines and imitative motifs in both voices, they seemed ideal for adaptation for oboe and bassoon. Since they do not feature a dense harmonic texture, the essential character of the pieces remains intact.

The voice and piano works by Eugenia Osterberger discussed in this section belong to the genre of melodías gallegas (Galician melodies in English).

Pilar Alén explains that "this genre has its roots in the German Romantic lied and, more directly, in the French mélodie”42. It also emerged as a fusion of the popular European songs for voice and piano, as well as the Italian romanzas of the same period. These compositions began to be called melodías gallegas when Marcial del Adalid43 blended these influences with Galician musical elements, thus creating and popularizing the genre. This development coincided with the rise of the “canción española”, which was gaining widespread success across the Iberian Peninsula.

By composing these melodies, Eugenia was aligning herself with the intellectuals in her circle who embraced the nationalist and regionalist fervor that flourished under 19th-century European Romanticism. In fact, the lyrics of these compositions were entirely in Galician, which was uncommon until nationalist movements began to emerge. Historically, the Galician language had always remained in the shadow of Spanish.

These melodías gallegas held a prominent place in private salon gatherings and social events attended by Eugenia44 . For her compositions, she chose texts from contemporary poets—likely individuals within her social circle—or drew from traditional folk poetry.

Below, we analyze five compositions belonging to this genre of melodías gallegas:

Neve (Neige) (Snow)

This piece is written in E-flat major, in a 6/8 time signature, and follows a ternary ABA form. It conveys a melancholic atmosphere, with a melody reminiscent of a recited psalm, generally moving in stepwise motion with no large leaps. Its characteristic rhythm—dotted eighth note, sixteenth note, and eighth note—appears both in the vocal line and the piano accompaniment, giving the piece its distinctive flow. In the coda, as the voice lingers on a sustained B-flat, the piano concludes with four final chords, further emphasizing the growing sense of solitude and abandonment at the end.

The poem of Neve, written by Filomena Dato Murais45 , evokes the image of snow-covered fields as a symbol of solitude and inner emptiness. The snow, cold and barren, represents doubt falling upon the soul, suffocating hope and shattering naïve faith. While the sun can melt the snow and restore life to the earth, the uncertainty within the human heart prevents beliefs from blossoming again. With sensitivity and depth, the poet reflects on human nature, while Osterberger reinforces this lament through a melancholic melody that deepens the poem’s introspective tone.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Ausencia (Absence)

A minor-mode piece, also in 6/8, with a melancholic melody. The accompaniment is simple: the left hand plays single notes or octaves in a drone-like fashion, while the right hand features basic chords in the first section and arpeggios in the second, where the piece modulates to the relative major. To add tension and drama, it also employs the diminished chord built on the altered fourth degree of the main key. Of this piece, we only have a manuscript.

In this composition, Eugenia sets to music a poem by Carlos Vaamonde Lores, in which an emigrant expresses the pain of being far from his homeland and mother, softened only by the hope of returning. Though he acknowledges the sorrow of forced migration, his filial love gives him the strength to comfort his mother with the promise: "Do not cry, Mother, for I shall return."46 This theme poignantly reflects the migration to Latin American countries that deeply affected Galicia at the time. It was a recurring source of inspiration for both traditional cantigas and more refined poetic texts.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Falas de Nai (Words of mother)

A composition with a main theme in C major, featuring frequent modulations to the dominant (G major) and a second section that plays with the sixth degree (A) while incorporating chromaticism in measures 16 and 17. The piano accompaniment maintains a consistent rhythmic pattern throughout the piece, giving it a lively and playful character that invites dance. In fact, this characteristic rhythm of Eugenia, previously discussed in the section on 1ère Polonaise, is also present here:

The lyrics of the poem by Juan Bautista Armada y Losada, Marqués de Figueroa, follow the tradition of the Galician cantigas de amigo, in which a feminine poetic voice—a mother—speaks to her young son. As she gazes at his curly hair, his beautiful dark eyes, and his smile—features that, over time, and if he survives, will bring both joy and sorrow to women—she warns him never to let any of them, despite the pleasures they may bring, make him forget his mother. She reminds him that the “constant love of mothers exist only in the heart”47, a love that is steadfast and enduring, in contrast to the fleeting nature of passions and joys, which come and go.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Cantigas e Melodías Gallegas (Galician Cantigas and Melodies)

This composition is a collection of eight pieces with lyrics taken from traditional cantigas. Based on the Cancionero Popular Gallego48, published in 1886, Eugenia selected several folk songs compiled by José Pérez Ballesteros, specifically those from the province of A Coruña. She was likely familiar with these cantigas, which she chose to set to music and compile into this collection. 

The composer includes a short pianistic interlude to connect the different stanzas of the text, seeking to evoke the sonorities characteristic of Galician music—these elements will be discussed in Chapter 3. Eugenia masterfully captures the emotions and sentiments expressed by the voice, carefully choosing the meter, rhythm, and musical inspirations to enhance the text’s meaning.

The eight cantigas are as follows:

• Amorosas(Loving)

A man in love expresses the worries and sleepless nights that love causes him.

The main melody is doubled in the right hand of the piano, enhancing its expressiveness. In D major and 3/4 time, it resembles a lullaby with a calm and steady rhythm. Nearly all phrase endings, which resolve to the tonic or dominant, feature a distinctive melodic ornament or flourish (II-III-II-I).

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Burlescos (Mocking / Burlesque)

A satirical and humorous piece accusing women of frivolity, lack of kindness, and deceitfulness.

Set in a 2/4-time signature, this lively and bouncy piece—true to its name—features a countermelody in the piano's right hand, while the left hand maintains a drone-like accompaniment. Both the countermelody and the vocal melody evoke the tunes of Alboradas from Galicia, which are also traditionally written in 2/4 and introduced with a brief opening section (see Chapter 3 for more details).

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Casamiento (Wedding / Marriage)

A warning to unmarried women about the loss of freedom and the hardships that come with married life.

In this piece, Eugenia also employs a drone-like accompaniment in the left hand of the piano, imitating the roncón of the gaita (Galician bagpipe). This effect is particularly noticeable in the piano introduction. The piece is slower and more serene, set in 3/4 time, and, much like Amorosas, it evokes the character of a lullaby.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Consejos (Advice)

Advises women to be wary of men's flattery and not to entrust them with their intimate secrets.

As in Amorosas, the melody in this piece is doubled in the right hand of the piano, while the left hand provides an arpeggiated accompaniment. The introduction also features a rhythmic pattern that imitates the drone of a gaita (Galician bagpipe). Consejos, set in 6/8, is lively and maintains a syncopation in the third measure of the melody, adding lightness and dynamism to the piece.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Tristeiras (Sorrowful / Mournful)

Expresses the anguish of women when their boyfriends or husbands are forced to join the army, as well as the misfortune, sadness, and loneliness of the soldiers.

Except for the interlude, the accompaniment of this melodía consists of sustained chords in long note values. The melody is one of the slowest and most melancholic, perfectly aligning with the theme of the text. Highly expressive and featuring long phrases, it also incorporates descending motifs at the end of melodic lines, further enhancing its introspective and poignant character.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Desaires (Scorns / Disdain)

A woman casually rejects a man's amorous pretensions.

In A minor and 3/4 time, the piece begins with a sixteenth-note piano melody that resembles an improvisation. The underlying rhythm in the accompaniment features Eugenia's characteristic pattern: eighth note – two sixteenth notes – two eighth notes – two eighth notes. This energetic accompaniment includes leaps in the left hand and offbeat notes in the right hand, with a strong accent on the third beat. Additionally, it incorporates graceful sixteenth-note triplet ornaments, a hallmark of Spanish music and traditional cantigas.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Despedidas (Farewells)

Conveys the feeling of loss experienced by someone forced to leave their homeland and loved ones, along with the uncertainty of not knowing if they will be able to return.

This piece is the most contrasting, as it employs a homophonic accompaniment with long note values, evoking the sonority of a Lutheran chorale. Melancholy and solemnity are two words that best define this composition.

A particularly striking feature is the final section, where the lyrics "la la la la la" are sung with chromatic movements, creating a lament-like effect through descending fourth intervals by chromatic steps. The marking "alalá" appears in the score, referencing these traditional pieces, which were typically livelier (see Chapter 3 for more information on alalás).

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

• Desprecios (Contempt / Disregard)

Men's worth, mothers-in-law's lack of generosity and suitors' lack of fidelity are amusingly belittled.

The final piece of the Cantigas Gallegas is in minor mode and set in 6/8, propelled by a sixteenth-note rhythmic ostinato in the right hand of the piano, while the left hand alternates leaps. The harmony is established on the second beat of the measure, leaving a pedal note on the strong beat. This is one of the shortest melodies, consisting of only two phrases. A particularly striking feature is the G# in the bass, which adds intensity and drama to the piece.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Lastly, before moving on to the next type of pieces, I would like to highlight an interesting finding: I came across a Facebook post announcing a concert49 on October 28, 2020, where four songs from Cantigas e Melodías Gallegas (Tristeira, Desaires, Despedidas, and Desprecios) were performed in a transcription for violin instead of voice.

This discovery is particularly significant to me, as I had planned to do something similar by performing them on the oboe. It confirms that these pieces have already been adapted for other instruments, which makes perfect sense.

 ¡Adiós a Galicia! (Goodbye to Galicia)

This fascinating piece also explores a theme deeply rooted in Galician literature: the longing for home, known in Galician as morriñas, and the sorrow of being forced to leave one's homeland—much like the theme of emigration in the previously discussed composition, Ausencia. In ¡Adiós a Galicia!, a soldier bids a melancholic farewell to his land, his people, and his mother before departing from Maside, preserving in his memory the landscape and those he leaves behind. Here, the pain stems from war, which, like at other moments in history, tore young Galicians away from their homes.

As mentioned earlier in this chapter, this composition was performed and sung by Eugenia at the "Liga Gallega" celebration she hosted in 1898. The performance was well received by the attendees and even inspired her friend Sofía Casanova to write a poem, which she later dedicated to Eugenia. Unfortunately, I was unable to access the score of this composition, as it is held in a private collection. Interestingly, today, this piece has become the official anthem of the town of Maside, in the province of Ourense.

Click to listen to a recording of the piece

Again, this song is written in 6/8, following an ABA structure, with the traditional Galician rhythm of dotted eighth note – sixteenth note – eighth note played in the right hand of the piano, while the left hand maintains an octave-based rhythm. In the central section, the meter shifts to 3/4, modulating to the relative minor of the piece. Notably, the composition concludes in major mode, employing the Picardy third, a characteristic element of Spanish music.

Here, we discuss the four known works by Eugenia Osterberger in this category: one for cello and piano and three for strings. Arrangements have been made for these four pieces, but no original recordings exist for the instruments for which they were composed.

Melodie espagnole (sentimentale)

Found in the Fondo Canuto Berea at the Arquivo da Deputación da Coruña, discovering this piece was particularly exciting for me, as I had been very curious about it and had planned to adapt it for English horn. The adaptation seemed fitting since it was originally written for cello, an instrument with a similar range. The score remains unpublished and does not include a full conductor’s score—only separate parts for piano and cello. It does, however, have a publisher’s imprint and appears to have been self-published by the composer.

The piece follows a ternary form, with a flowing and lyrical first section that contrasts with a more harmonically dynamic central part. Although still expressive, this section introduces more harmonic contrast, using passing tones and chromaticism. The piece concludes with a ten-bar coda, where the piano takes on a more prominent role while the cello sustains long notes on the tonic and dominant. Although brief, this work is deeply expressive, featuring a warm and even playful melody, especially when the descending second motif in two sixteenth notes is repeated in the central section. It is a melody that could easily be imagined as a vocal line.

Adios Lolita Mía

This string piece is dedicated to Bonincontro, a musician and friend with whom Eugenia developed a relationship in Nice. The work was published in France, in the city of Nice, and was likely composed during her time there, as the dedication to Bonincontro suggests a connection from that period. However, it is also possible that the piece was written earlier and that she simply dedicated the published version to him.

There is no certainty regarding whether the orchestration was done by Eugenia herself. However, it is likely that she was responsible for it, as no other arranger is credited—unlike in the case of Viens, where another arranger is explicitly mentioned.

The piece opens with a brief four-measure introduction and follows a ternary ABA structure. The sections are differentiated, with well-defined cadences marking the end of each section.

En Avant…la musique..!

Beneath the title of this piece, there is an indication reading "(Para-calle)", referring to the fact that the piece shares characteristics with the pasacalles genre – see section 3.1. of Chapter 3.

The score also includes the note: "(On peut ajouter Guitares ou Mandolines et Tambours de Basques)", which translates to "Guitars, mandolins, and Basque drums may also be added." This, along with the French title, suggests that the piece was performed in France and arranged for traditional French instruments, as there is no mention of Galician traditional instruments.

One detail that caught my attention in the score is that the first violin page appears twice, and the instrument indications are in plural (violons instead of violon, for example). This suggests that the piece was likely intended for a large ensemble. However, it is unclear whether a second violin part ever existed or if it has simply not been preserved. It is also worth noting that, at least in Galicia, this type of composition was more commonly performed with wind instruments rather than strings, which makes this aspect particularly interesting.

Viens

With the indication “Très Modéré” and “Avec sentiment de tendresse soutenu” (With a feeling of sustained tenderness), this 3/4 piece, structured in ABCA form, features long melodic lines with highly expressive wide intervals, including sixths, sevenths, and even octaves.

This score, which includes only three instrumental parts, is intriguing as it appears to be an orchestral arrangement. The score bears the indication "arr. et orchestré Bonincontro", yet no additional parts or instruments from this arrangement have been found. It is likely that other wind instruments were involved, though their parts have not been recovered. This assumption is based on the presence of substitution indications ("à défaut de Hautb." – "in the absence of Oboe") for oboe, bassoon, and flute. Thanks to these annotations and the piano reduction, it has been possible to reconstruct the full orchestral version while also determining which instruments should carry specific melodies, ensuring that the original material is preserved as much as possible.

A particularly interesting detail is that this reference to the oboe is the only one found in Eugenia Osterberger’s scores. However, since the instrumentation was done by her friend and collaborator Bonincontro, as indicated in the score, the piece was originally composed for piano. Another possibility is that this score represents a reduced version, where substitution indications were noted due to the lack of available performers for certain instruments when the piece was performed.