Hermine Spies

Hermine Spies (also Spieß) was considered to be one of the leading alto singers of the late 19th century, and an exceptional interpreter of the works of Johannes Brahms, whom she knew personally.

Spies struck up a close friendship with the much older Brahms in the late 1870s, and he composed a number of songs for her and accompanied her on the piano in recitals, including his Fünf Lieder, Op.

[1][2] Born near Löhnberg, Spies moved with her family to Wiesbaden in 1879.

She took lessons with the voice teacher Julius Stockhausen at Dr Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main and made her stage debut in 1880 in Mannheim.

Though she was at the height of her career, she decided to retire into private life.