Jacobine Gjertz

Jacobine Sofie Gjertz (13 July 1819 – 1862) was a Norwegian pianist, composer and writer and one of the earliest women's activists in Norway.

Early life Jacobine Gjertz was the daughter of Peter Gjertz, a town clerk in Christiania and Magdalene Elisabeth Hoff. She was the sister of lawyer and civil servant Hjalmar Balduin Hoff (1823–1902).

Life and career Gjerz demonstrated an early talent for playing piano. She received her music education in Copenhagen, where she also studied music theory and composition with the composer Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse and Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann. In a certificate dated 13 April 1839, Hartmann emphasised Gjertz's strong interest in music theory, which he thought was unusual for a young lady.

In spring 1840, Gjertz performed concerts in Stockholm and Copenhagen, which were successfully received. Her program included Carl Maria von Weber's Konzertstück and Sigismond Thalberg's Huguenot Fantasia. In an advance review of her concert, Henrik Wergeland stated that she had already surpassed her teachers. Gjertz continued her studies with Danish pianist Bernhard Courländer.

In 1851, the couple returned to Gjertz's hometown of Christiania. Whilst there she performed her own compositions during a joint concert with Emma Dahl. This was the first composition concert and the first women's concert in Christiania.

However, the couple did not stay in Norway, and via Copenhagen and Brussels they returned to Paris. Bernard died there in 1857, and Gjertz was left as a widow with four children. She made a living playing piano as well as by writing articles on art and literature, some of which were published as special prints. In the last years of her life, she also wrote several books.

Gjertz died in Paris in 1862.