Margarethe Stockhausen

Franz was a friend of Sébastien Érard and a correspondent of Beethoven's, in the circle of François-Antoine Habeneck, and shared lodgings with the violinist Christian Urhan.

At first she became well known for her recitals of songs of Alsace, which were warmly received in Paris, and she was noted for the beauty and pearl-like quality of her voice and its spiritual conviction.

At this time her repertoire extended to works of Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Spohr, Carl Maria von Weber, Mendelssohn, Cherubini, Sapienza, Cimarosa, Fioravanti, Mercadante, Rossini and Meyerbeer.

She came back to sing in concerts of the Philharmonic Society in London in January 1830, and over the next decade spent a great deal of time in Britain, including entire seasons in 1830, 1831, 1834 and 1835.

In October 1830 she toured the English Midlands with Maria Malibran and the violinist Charles de Bériot, refusing to join her husband in an early journey by train, between Manchester and Liverpool, but following in the post carriage.

In that year the family acquired its own permanent home at Tannenfels (Baden-Württemberg), and Margerethe's parents oversaw the upbringing of her children, who attended school at Guebwiller.

After the birth of her son Henri she made her last British tour, first giving concerts in Paris and then in April moving on to London for the start of a punishing schedule.