How to spend a Thursday afternoon

We are hectic and over scheduled people who allow work and other responsibilities to rule our lives.  We take little time to step back, breathe and assess what is happening.  Maybe there will come one day when an unexpected opportunity arises and we question whether we should tear ourselves away.  Maybe we should take a step forward to do something that will bring us joy.  Thus it was Thursday afternoon, June 6th, for me. 

A late morning e-mail from Gena Branscombe’s grandson, Roger Branscombe Phenix, said he wanted to go to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to look through his grandmother’s music.  Should he call or e-mail to let the Special Collections department know he was coming?  In a return e-mail I explained you went to the third floor, requested the music and then waited to see it.  An idea came to me, “Would you like me to go with you?  I have some work to do with the collection.”  The answer came back, “yes!” 

After a difficult morning of dealing with two telephone customer service debacles, I needed a breath of fresh air to change the day despite my long “to do” list.  Roger and his wife, JoAnn, picked me up in front of my building and off we went to the library at Lincoln Center. 

Entering the third floor Special Collections Department, we filled out a request form for the boxes of the pencil workings and sketches for Pilgrims of Destiny, then waited for them to be brought up to the study area.

Once they arrived, Roger and I spent time looking through numerous folders of Gena Branscombe’s original workings of her dramatic choral oratorio.  The one hundred year old staff paper was dusty with that “old” musty smell to it. 

Among the pages of music would be a typed page of the libretto.  I wondered if the typed pages were done by Gena’s husband, John, who edited the libretto for his wife.  With knowledge of his family archives, Roger was quite sure they were not typed by his grandfather as they were too neat with no mistakes!  Another page might have a note that said it was a sketch of a theme for a soprano.  Many pages had workings with X’s across the page, not to be used and obviously Gena was not pleased with what she had composed. 

The original orchestra workings were definitely not in Gena’s script which means she had a professional person write out her work.  Gena’s script is not precise, rushed and at times quite messy. 

To sit in the library with Gena’s grandson holding and experiencing her original scores was quite a treat.  Normally I sit in the library alone with her music.  This time, we shared her music from 100 years ago. 

By the way, June 6^th was a special day for Roger.  It was his birthday and he had wanted to go to the library to look at his grandmother’s music.  We celebrated with coffee and his wish was granted! 

#BringingBackBranscombe