A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ramann, Lina
RAMANN, Lina, musical litterateur and educationist, was born at Mainstockheim, near Kitzingen, in Bavaria, June 24, 1833. Her turn for music and her determination to succeed were evident from a very early age. It was not, however, till her seventeenth year that she had any instruction in music. At that time her parents removed to Leipzig, and from 1850 to 1853 she there enjoyed the advantage of pianoforte lessons from the wife of Dr. F. Brendel, herself formerly a scholar of Field's. From this period she adopted the career of a teacher of music, and studied assiduously, though without help, for that end.
In 1858 she opened an institute in Glückstadt (Holstein) for the special training of music-mistresses, and maintained it till 1865, in which year she founded a more important establishment, the Music School at Nürnberg, in conjunction with Frau Ida Volkmann of Tilsit, and assisted by a staff of superior teachers, under Miss Ramann's own superintendence. With a view to the special object of her life she has published two works—'Die Musik als Gegenstand der Erziehung' (Leipzig, Merseburger, 1868), and 'Allgemeine Erzieh- und Unterrichts-lehre der Jtigend' (Leipzig, H. Schmidt, 1869; 2nd ed. 1873), which were both received with favour by the German Press. Since 1860 Miss Ramann has been musical correspondent of the Hamburg 'Jahreszeiten.' A volume of her essays contributed to that paper has been collected and published, under the title of 'Aus der Gegenwart' (Nurnberg, Schmid, 1868). In the early part of 1880 she published a study of Liszt's 'Christus' (Leipzig, Kahnt), and later in the year the first volume of a Life of Liszt (1811–1840; Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel). This is an important work. It suffers somewhat from over-enthusiasm, but it is done with great care, minuteness, and intelligence, and has obviously profited largely by direct information from Liszt himself. [App. p.766 "Add that her life of Liszt was translated by Mrs. S. H. Eddy, Chicago, and by Miss E. Cowdery, and published in 2 vols. in 1882."] Her cousin,
Bruno Ramann, was born about 1830 at Erfurt, and was brought up to commerce, but his desire and talent for music were so strong, that in 1857 or 58 he succeeded in getting rid of his business and put himself under Dr. F. Brendel and Riedel, for regular instruction. He then for five years studied under Hauptmann at Leipzig, and is now a resident teacher and composer at Dresden. His works have reached beyond op. 50, but they consist almost entirely of songs for one or more voices, and of small and apparently sentimental pieces for the pianoforte. He does not appear yet to have attempted any large composition.