Jennifer King, piano - SOUVENANCE

 

In late March I received an e-mail asking me to review pianist Jennifer King’s recording, Souvenance.  I highly recommend listening to this recording, not just once, but many, many times.

Congratulations to Jennifer on a beautiful presentation of Romances, Nocturnes and a Meditation composed by eight women composers.

https://www.jenniferkingpiano.com/

https://lnk.to/souvenance

You can buy or stream the recording on almost any platform.  Enjoy!

Here’s my review:

Nineteenth century French Impressionist painters created works of art depicting night.  Their use of darkly hued colors affects our senses.  Not to be outdone, French Impressionist composers took up the word “Nocturne” and began creating short works, that similar to the paintings, created the sense of night employing the colors a pianist infuses in their playing. 

Jennifer King’s newly released CD; Souvenance is a delectable presentation of Nocturnes, Romances and a Meditation composed by eight women.  Much like the Impressionist painters, King paints each composer’s interpretation of night with sensitive colors and attention to details of phrasing and dynamics.

Clara Schumann’s “Notturno” and Fanny Mendelssohn’s “Nocturne” explore the darker side of night which reflects their personal life.  Clara’s, without doubt, expresses the composer’s life as the stable caretaker of seven children and the primary wage earner in her marriage to Robert Schumann. Night may have been her time to process her worries, fears and compose new works.  Clara’s nocturnal troubles are portrayed with a haunting opening melody played by King with tender attention to the melody and eighth note bass line rocking that gives rise to a desire for hopefulness.  Mendelssohn’s struggle with the inequality brought upon women composers of her day is presented with a melancholy melody supported by minor chords and a rustling sixteenth note pattern that moves between the dreamy bass lines and into the upper reaches of the keyboard that sparkle with the excitement of the night and perhaps her joy of expression through composing.

French composers Mel Bonis and Cecile Chaminade ‘s Nocturnes, Romances and Meditation are a bounty of memorable, lilting melodies and even some humor.  Ms. King‘s lyrical playing gives calming, unrushed voicing to the rustling bass lines while the melody floats above.  Her sensitivity to balanced dynamics from pianissimo to forte is subtle never over emphasizing changes yet they gently flow. 

Not only did British born composer Ethel Smyth push for a woman’s right to vote in England, she also pushed the boundaries of form in her Nocturne. Moscow born Sophie Eckhardt-Gramatté’s “Caprice II Nocturne – Gut Ruhe” stretches the feeling of nocturne beyond the romantic form.  

King captures Smyth’s wonderment of night.  Dark moments lead into a sparkling atmosphere with delicate phrasing and voicing for the canon to be identified and heard.  With Echardt-Gramatté, Jennifer King performs the unrest with authority and understanding of how the composer expressed her experiences of night.  Both Nocturnes are wishes for a good rest.

Delightfully, a jazz nocturne is included on this recording.  Dana Suesse’s “Jazz Nocturne” begins with a melody played by the right hand then opens into lush chords that support the melody.  Tuneful and jazzy, King’s playing is fun, energetic rhythmically and creates the sensation of sitting in a jazz night club of years gone by.  

A Joni Mitchell inspired tribute, taking her as a mentor to keep fighting through life’s trials and tribulations.  Holding Joni Mitchell in esteem, this “Blue” and the other seven  composers, whose lives were described in their music, have been brought to life in this heartfelt tribute Souvenance.

 

Kathleen Shimeta
Co-Founder & Chair
The Gena Branscombe Project

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

 

Nelson Ojeda Valdés

 

There in front of me was a Facebook ad  - “Women of Romanticism” - concert to be held at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on March 12, 2022.  

 Hmmmm, that caught my interest, sounded interesting and I should probably attend.  I purchased a ticket not knowing any of the performers yet the composers Fannie Mendelssohn Hensel, Cecile Chaminade and others were familiar to me. 

As I sat through the concert all I could think was, “Meeting these talented and gifted performers is going to happen.  We will, some day in the future, collaborate on a Gena concert.”  That was just the beginning of what now is three years of friendship and concertizing.  

After the concert I approached soprano Stefanie Izzo introducing myself as an authority on Gena Branscombe.  Stefanie is an authority on women composers….. a lot of women composers, yet she had not heard of Gena.  We agreed to be in touch to discuss Gena songs for her to perform.

 

Then I approached the organizer of the concert, pianist Nelson Ojeda Valdés. The first thing out of my mouth, “We need to have coffee.”  Then, I handed him my card and introduced myself.  We agreed to be in contact.

Little did I know Nelson is a coffee-aholic!  My offer of having coffee definitely interested him!  Weeks later we did meet for coffee.  Our conversation never let up because neither of us is shy! 

 Over the course of that first coffee meeting, I shared the Gena Project development and our wish to begin offering concerts.  Listening carefully, Nelson proceeded to guide me through the process of creating programs, how to approach venues, communication skills for all of this, then performers and fees. 

 To say the very least, I was and continue to be in awe of Nelson Ojeda Valdés, who is a true creative music entrepreneur!  Here is a person who knows what concerts he has created and will be performing nearly two years in advance.  Each program is diverse from the previous program.  Do you know anyone who would arrange for five pianists to join him for a performance of Steve Reich’s piece, “Six Pianos?”

It’s not the performance of that incredibly difficult piece, it’s knowing five other pianists who are willing to take on that piece, scheduling rehearsals where there must be SIX pianos in one room and once you begin playing making sure everyone is on the same measure at the same time.  One of his next concerts was all Faure music, a Christmas season concert to play the piano four hands version of the Nutcracker Ballet Suite and on and on.  Only Nelson! 

With thanks to Nelson, The Gena Branscombe Project presented its “Bringing Back Branscombe to the Upper West Side” concert at the New York Society for Ethical Culture.  His guidance for this concert was invaluable.  His performing Gena’s music with great sensitivity was amazing whether he was a collaborator with an instrumentalist or playing a solo piece!

 We meet for coffee every once-in-a- while, we laugh quite a lot, share our upcoming events or travels and enjoy one another’s company.  Not only is Nelson a great concertizer and organizer, he also teaches private piano lessons, is a church organist and on occasion does a second or third Sunday service.  His daily schedule is packed with his own practicing, performing, teaching and creating new concerts knowing all the details that must be handled. 

 Recently, Nelson sent me a program from his church.  Each Sunday in March, Women’s History Month, he played a piece by a woman composer.  Included were Gena Branscombe, Fannie Mendelssohn Hensel, Wanda Landowska, Amy Beach and Florence Price!  Not only did he play their music, he also wrote short bios of each composer that gave the congregation insights into each woman’s music and life!   

and 

Nelson is a force of nature, driven in the most positive way to create music experiences for one and all.  He’s a great mentor and I thank him as often as possible for his guidance and ideas.  I remind him, “You’re the best!”  And, he is. 

 Onward to more Gena concerts!  Thanks Nelson for being my friend and mentor.

#BringingBackBranscombe

Extended deadline for Composers and Arts Admin

 

ATTENTION - Up-and-coming COMPOSERS and ARTS ADMINISTRATORS -

The Gena Branscombe Project has extended its deadline for your scholarship applications. THE NEW DEADLINE IS MAY 30, 2025.

Tell your friends, students and colleagues. Go to our website, read about Miss Branscombe, her music, career and life. Read about our past winners and this year's judges.

Composers and Arts Administrators APPLY NOW and beat the new deadline of May 30, 2025.

#BringingBackBranscombe
#TheGenaBranscombeProject
#MusicScholarships
#Artsadminscholarships
#Composerscholarships
#Extendeddeadline

Coffee with TGBP Scholarship Winners

 

For the past five years The Gena Branscombe Project has awarded an annual scholarship to up-and-coming Arts Administrators, Conductors and Composers.  It has been an honor for us to support the winners who are completing their formal education, who need help progressing into their professional careers or who need tools of the industry to enhance their work.

 

The Project has made it our mission to stay in touch with our winners.  We gather information about their concerts, compositions and activities to update on Facebook and Instagram pages.  All of our winners are doing great things.

 

Over the past two weeks I have had the pleasure of meeting three of our winners here in New York City.  What a joy to be with them in person, hearing their stories, their hopes and accomplishments, then, talking about life in general.

 

First, I met our 2024 composer winner, Emily Clements, for coffee and a nice long chat.  Several days later I attended a performance of a scene from her opera “Letters to Lily” presented by the Brooklyn based Off-Brand Opera.  Emily has completed Act I of her opera and is working to complete Act II. 

 

Second, I attended the first workshop reading of the musical “Sharp” composed by our 2022 composer winner, Ally Bellhaven with book by Jake Nielsen. 

Their musical was presented at New York University as part of their Master’s degree program.  Wonderful singer/actors gave life to this musical reading.

 

Third, Dan Ryan and I had brunch with our 2020 conductor winner, Damali Willingham.  We have worked with Damali since she was an undergraduate at Berklee College of Music where this wonderful conductor arranged Gena Branscombe’s orchestral piece “Festival Prelude/March” for wind ensemble, then conducted a performance of it.  We had a great time catching up on our lives and careers. 

 To have met in person with three of our 15 winners was a treat.  We have met in person with a few other winners.  At some time in the future we look forward to meeting all of these incredibly talented recipients of our scholarships. 

We will be announcing our 2025 scholarship winners in the next few months.  Stay tuned!

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

It's OFFICIAL!

 The Gena Branscombe Project is officially a 501(c)(3) non-profit.  The hard work and dedication put forth by the Board of Directors of the Project is admirable.  We breathe a sigh of relief that this phase of our work is complete.  Onward we move to rewarding scholarships, sponsoring #BringingBackBranscombe concerts and much more.  Our thanks to Foster Garvey PC for their support and guidance.  

#BringingBackBranscombe

Music Connections Through Research

 

Over the years of working on my Gena Project, the number of surprise moments has never ceased to amaze me.  People contact me whether former members of the Branscombe Choral, relatives of Branscombe Choral members, a researcher who years ago interviewed her in person, relatives of Miss Branscombe and more.  Always these moments take me by surprise since they open new doors of understanding the past and enhance my connection to Gena Branscombe….always.

Two weeks ago I received an e-mail from Dr. Derek Strykowski, Associate Teaching Professor, Historical Musicology at the University of Buffalo.  Dr. Strykowski is writing a book about Arthur P. Schmidt, his personal life and career in the music publishing business. 

My blog postings extolling the publisher’s passion for promoting American women composers in a day when women were thought to be second class musicians caught Derek’s interest.  Margaret Ruthven Lang, Clara Kathleen Rogers, Gena Branscombe, Amy Beach, Marion Bauer, and Mary Turner Salter, to name a few, were the women whose music was on music store shelves for sale.  With a sale, they received royalties because Arthur P. Schmidt believed in women composers!

The music world is a small world of people connections.  In my blog Derek read that I knew Arthur Schmidt’s great, great granddaughter, Linda Johnson.  Would I please connect him with Linda?  I was more than happy to make that connection.

Over a Zoom call, Derek and I discussed Gena Branscombe’s relationship with Mr. Schmidt and her published works.  I learned a great deal about Mr.  Schmidt, his wife, daughter, his finances and about Linda’s great, great grandmother who was not Mr. Schmidt’s wife.  Oh, the family intrigue!

Linda was eager to meet Derek.  A Zoom meeting was set - what a meeting it was.  Information flowed between Derek and Linda who shared with one another documents, pictures, copies of postcards and their individual research.  Each learned something new from the other.  

Onward they will go unraveling the life of Arthur P. Schmidt, music publisher. 

Derek’s book is to be published in 2027!

Research always brings new connections and opens doors to expanding our individual learning curve.

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

 

Radio, Royalties and Rules

 

Christmas Eve – the year 1906 - classical music was first broadcast on the radio from Brant Rock, Massachusetts.  Over the air-waves people heard a phonograph recording of Handel’s “Largo.” Reginald Fessenden and F.W. Alexanderson were the inventors’ team who created the broadcast with Fessenden closing the program with, “Merry Christmas.” 

A few short years later in 1910 Enrico Caruso was heard live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. 

Radio became a major venue for classical music and by 1920 and into the 1930s programs such as “Bell Telephone Hour,” “Voice of Firestone,” and “Cities Service Concerts” filled the air with classical music.  

Arturo Toscanini led the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Live broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera were heard.  These performances drew large audiences.  

Families gathered around their radios to listen to great performances by the top classical musicians of the day.

Those 20 years of broadcasts began the era of artists, whether a composer, conductor, soloist, orchestra or chorus, earning royalties from radio performances.  Up to that point, publishers paid composers royalties on the sales of their music.  But radio – no one knew what to expect.  Formulating guidelines, rules and payments became a pressing issue.

In early 1923 over WJZ in Newark, New Jersey, Gena Branscombe had two fifteen minute segments of her music performed live.  In her March 23, 1923 letter to Mr. Austin at Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing , she said:

“Am ever so thrilled about it – The possibilities are so limitless!”  

She hoped Mr. Austin would listen in, he didn’t own a radio, then asked if his friend in London would get up at 3 AM to listen if the broadcast would get across the pond. 

Thus began many years of Gena’s music being heard on the radio.  Her Branscombe Choral, violinists, pianists and famous singers of her era were heard live via broadcasts on WJZ, WNYC, WEAF and WOR.  Miss Branscombe understood the importance of this promotional publicity which might lead to sales of her music and royalties paid to her.

Radio broadcasts for Miss Branscombe were not an easy path to her copyrighted music being performed.  This new musical venue with great possibilities for the future had road blocks for the composer. 

In the 1930’s contentious letters between Gena and Mr. Austin regarding radio broadcasts of her music were nearly a daily occurrence.  Permission from Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing, who held the copyrights to her music, had to be sent to the radio stations where her music was to be performed.

Radio stations refused singers the performance of works published by Schmidt explaining they had not received the permission letters. 

From her May 22, 1930 letter to Mr. Austin she wrote:

“And now for something that’s on my mind.  Over two weeks ago a baritone came to me and told me that all his Schmidt numbers were being taken off – on his broadcasting program of the National Broadcasting Co.  Now a soprano comes along with the same story.  She is not allowed to do Schmidt numbers.  ….. How do you propose to handle this thing?  One’s opinion may vary as to the sales value of radio performances – but it will surely react unfavorably as to the whole catalogue if singers come to know generally that the works are taboo.  It seems a very serious situation to me.”

On July 23, 1930, after many letters back and forth, Mr. Austin replied,

“In any case, as we wrote you recently, any broadcasting you wish to have done of your compositions meets with our entire approval.”

 An unknown, unsolved issue for the broadcasting of Gena’s music was happening.  She did not let up with her vitriol in her July 26, 1930 letter to Mr. Austin,

“I wasn’t asking permission to have my things done, I was telling you of a condition which affects unfavorably all the works of the Schmidt catalogue, my own, included.  I have been told that this has been caused by some attitude on your part.  If this is not true, and you are not able, or do not consider it important, to clear the matter up, - there’s nothing more that I can do.”

 And on through the 1940s these discussions of permission letters to broadcasters, questions of where royalties originated and how they were paid to her were a constant in correspondence between Miss Branscombe and her publisher Mr. Austin at Arthur P. Schmidt.  They did come to an agreement and the mood of professionalism returned to their relationship. 

The beginning of classical music on radio broadcasts was not easy for the creative spirit.  Yet, through the trials and tribulations of developing rules and laws to protect artists, a path was laid down for today’s musicians.  All is not perfect as we know from news reports that performers accuse producers, agents, record companies and others of fraud. 

This is sad as we artists work long hard hours to share the soulful depth of our art.  Being paid for that work….. ART TAKES WORK….is essential to our livelihood and the ongoing endeavor of artistic creativity.

 #BringingBackBranscombe

·    Letters between Gena Branscombe and Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Company are held in the Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Company business papers at the Library of Congress.

 

 

The Gena Branscombe Project 2025 Scholarships

The Gena Branscombe Project is now accepting applications for its 2025 scholarships.  We honor the music and life of Miss Branscombe by mentoring up-and-coming arts administrators, conductors and composers by awarding yearly scholarships.

Go to the website: www.thegenabranscombeproject.com to find  scholarship information and application.  The deadline is May 9, 2025.

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

Gena Branscombe Letter - October 1940

 

A letter dated October 31^st, 1940 written by Gena Branscombe.  Her penmanship is its usual “difficult to read” or “hard to decipher” words yet her message is of friendly warmth and happiness to have helped a friend of a friend. 

Written on The Branscombe Choral stationery, she is returning to a Mrs. Grambling a piece of autographed linen.  Autographed linen?  Someone had a hobby of collecting autographs on linen?  Intriguing!

 Collecting famous people’s autographs and letters was a popular hobby a century or more ago.  Once collected they were put in a scrapbook.  This letter was found in one of those books, though the autographed linen piece was not. 

 As Gena says, “What an interesting idea!”  My thoughts on that “idea” is someone was creating a table cloth of autographs, a blanket or making an artistic piece to be framed – my idea.

Who was Mrs. Grambling to whom the letter is addressed or Mrs. Davis who Gena mentions having given her the linen square to sign?  I have no idea though I am sure they were acquaintances.

Now in my possession is this charming 1940 letter authored by Gena Branscombe.

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

 

Will Wickham

 

“I’ve been a wedding photographer and worked in a winery, all to support myself as an artist.”  - Will Wickham

Are there people in any field of the arts who would not have a list of jobs they have worked to support the art that fills their soul and an art that allows them to share their creative beauty?  I would think not!

 My friend, Will Wickham, was recently honored in Times Square as one of the recipients of a grant from “Creatives Rebuild New York” (CRNY) which was a three-year, $125 million initiative that provided guaranteed income and employment opportunities to artists across New York State. 

On the very cold, blustery evening of Wednesday, January 15^th in Times Square, several of the recipients of these grants were honored.  A video of each artist was played on one of the huge screens.  Larger than life each artist told the story of the jobs that supported their art – a photographer, clothing designer, dancer, painter, and weaver.  All were recipients of grants from New York State that supported their art.  And, there was my friend Will Wickham.     https://fb.watch/xfHrlthXl8/

All of us in attendance for the video presentation and speeches were given an “Art Takes Work” winter hat!  We needed the hat to stay warm!  

Take a look at the website, www.ArtTakesWork.com to learn more about support for artists and the campaign partners. 

Living in the Elmira, New York area, Will is an entrepreneurial artist.  His genius of creating art to share with the residents of his surrounding area is exemplary.  Conducting three concerts a season with his Cantata Singers, they present programs of music composed by area composers including his own compositions.  All concerts are free and open to one and all.

In 2008 Will established the “Festival of Women in the Arts” which showcased women artists in the Elmira area including wine makers, fabric artists, poets and writers, presentations of all music genres, jewelry designers and more.  A highlight for me was to have been invited to open the first year’s festival performing my one woman show, “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.”  What a special honor to be part of that community which has blossomed into 17 years of friendships created from that concert.

When The Gena Branscombe Project was creating a new orchestral score of the composer's dramatic oratorio, "Pilgrims of Destiny," we were struggling to enter the music note by note into the music program, Finale.  The concert was approaching and we needed as many people helping us with this tedious task.  Who offered to help?  Of course, Will Wickham!  With his talent using Finale, Will helped us reach our deadline of having the score ready for rehearsals and the performance.  Thanks, Will!

Composer, conductor, piano tuner, director of plays, playing in pit orchestras and teaching at a local college, Will Wickham is an all-around accomplished, down-to-earth artist well deserving of a grant to further his creative goals.  Job well done, Will!  Congratulations. 

                                            (photo credit: ATW: SiteImages)

#BringingBackBranscombe