March 14th

Born this day in 1814, Josephine Lang, German song writer and composer. Born into a family of musicians, her father Theodor Lang well known violinist and her mother, opera singer Regina Hitzelberger. Lang's mother taught her how to play the piano and by the age of 5, Lang was composing music. She taught music by the age of eleven. Family friendship exposed Lang to the greats, Mendelssohn and Hiller of the time who recognized her talents and helped with proper theory of song writing. Robert Schumann published Lang's song. Neue Zeitchrift Fur Musik in 1838. Sadly, Josephine suffered with poor health her entire life. While performing for the King and Queen of Bavaria, the queen noticed Lang did not look well and sent her to a spa in the Aples and it was there, Josephine met the love of her life, Christian Reinhold Kostlin, a lawyer. It was love at first sight. They married and it was a good marriage. Kostlin died suddenly in 1864 and this left Lang to return to her song writing. To find a publisher Hiller came to her aidel, Hiller wrote a publisher about Lang and from this connection, most of Lang's work was published. And was a success, giving Lang a means to support her family. Lang die in 1880. Forgotten, but in 2007 Herbert and Sharon Kerbs wrote and published a biography and Lang's music. and can be heard again after a long silence.