Music Meets Drama

Musical America – the mention of that publication to any classical musician means the holy grail of the international performing arts scene.   When the annual directory appears at the beginning of the year, artists from all avenues of the performing arts rush to see what artist management company their friends and colleagues may have, who ran ads promoting upcoming performances, what concert series are presenting for their upcoming season, what new music festivals listed by state and country are available, what music schools have run ads and much, much more.  It is the Holy Grail! Today’s editions of the directory feature “Musician of the Year” photos and an article about that person.  It’s an honor to be chosen for the cover of Musical America.  Recent honorees have included singer/actor Audra McDonald and conductor Gustavo Dudamel.  October 8, 1898 marked the debut of Musical America published by its founder, John Christian Freund....

How many people, no matter their career, could honestly say, “In a long working life, there are too many heartwarming experiences to list one.”?  So frequently we complain about all the events and happenings in our lives and work that are wrong, yet if we flip that attitude towards looking at what wonderful things have happened to us, we will find many that bring a smile to our face. In a recent acquisition from an e-bay auction, I purchased a note card, maybe a partial letter that Gena Branscombe wrote.  From the dates she cites, I gather this was written post 1960 when she would have been in her 80’s. Reflecting on highlights of her musical career she points out conducting the New York City performances with her own Branscombe Chorale.  Then Miss Branscombe goes on to mention the chorus of 1000 voices singing under her direction in Atlantic City in 1941, a Delta Omicron performance of her “Coventry’s Choir” in 1959 and the Royal Canadian National Band pl...

South Devonshire, England, the village of Branscombe……that’s where Gena Branscombe’s paternal family heritage began.  Through her musical compositions and life style, she honored her British roots.  “Tea, we must have tea,” a line from my one-woman show probably best describes how Miss Branscombe lived her life.  Tea and small sandwiches were served when one had company, making conversation quite civilized!  Laurine Elkins Marlow, who wrote her dissertation on Gena Branscombe, told me that each time she visited the composer they would work together for a short while, then tea was served after which they returned to work.  Laurine has in her possession the tea cup that was officially hers during those working sessions. “Coventry’s Choir,” a choral work, was composed amidst the bombings of England during World War II.  Coventry Cathedral, known as St. Michael’s, located in the West Midlands of England was destroyed by the Luftwaffe on November 14,...

A message on my answering machine last week from Marguerite (Peggie) Biscaye Oury told me she had found three more pictures of the Branscombe Choral and one picture of Gena Branscombe standing on a dock waving goodbye.  Would I like to have these pictures to add to the items she gave in 2012?  Yes, of course, was my answer. Peggie’s brother, Pierre had called me in November 2011 and recounted his story of knowing Gena Branscombe and her family.  His fond memories of his mother and two aunts being long-time members of the Branscombe Choral were touching.  He even has the conductor’s baton that Miss Branscombe gave him.  See my blog posting of May 2012.  I called Pierre’s sister, Peggie, and we also had a lengthy phone conversation.  She told me she had Branscombe Choral pictures, autographed sheet music and a few other items.  She graciously sent these items to me for safe keeping and I assured her all these treasured possessions would be ...

Sitting in my closet are two plastic storage containers that hold the physical history of my Gena Branscombe project that began in 1999.  Manila folders hold my handwritten research notes from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts where I found Gena’s original manuscripts, published works and Laurine Elkins Marlow’s dissertation.  Also in folders are copies of letters from Gena Branscombe’s family, my contract with Albany Records, copyright approval to record certain songs and also to print specific poems in the CD booklet, a fairly large  number of pictures, two 3-ring binders with copies of nearly all 150 of Gena’s songs, cards and letters from people who purchased my CD or attended one of our performances, magazine articles about Gena or myself, programs and publicity from performances of my one woman show and lecture recitals I have given.  In addition I found the original mock-ups of the publicity brochure I designed for “Life! Love! So...

Just four days after the events of September 11, 2001, Martin and I had a recording session.  It was an arduous two hours as we were changing microphones, repositioning microphones as well as changing where I would stand.  Then we dealt with various other technical glitches that had to be fixed.  As the session drew to a close we had not recorded what had been planned for the day.  David Smith, our recording engineer, called up from the booth to suggest we record one more song before calling it a day. Looking through our prepared songs, I chose the shortest one, “Dear Lad O’Mine.”  Martin found his copy, I positioned my sheet music on the music stand preparing to begin recording, when we heard David say from the booth, “oh, my.”  David had read the first line of the poetry, “War gods have descended, the world burns up in fine.”  Oh, my, indeed.  Strong words, strong musical setting and an emotional connection to what had forever cha...

In March 2008, Martin and I presented “Life! Love! Song!   A Visit with Gena Branscombe” at Hofstra University.   Little did we know that in the audience that day was a former member of the Branscombe Choral, Agnes Conway.   At the talk-back after our concert, a woman raised her hand and said she had her personal pictures and programs of the Branscombe Choral and letters from Gena Branscombe that she would like to give me.   To say the least, the audience was as surprised as we were!   A Branscombe Choral member was in our midst!  In a binder lovingly cross-stitched with Gena Branscombe’s name and a fancy border, we found two Christmas greetings from Gena, copies of two articles written by the composer/conductor for the “Showcase, Music Clubs Magazine,” an invitation to a tea in honor of Gena’s 90 th birthday, concert programs, and letters from the composer to Agnes.   In addition a small photo album again with cross-stitch, “The Branscombe Chor...

Women’s History Month officially came to a close yesterday.   As many of you may have seen, I posted on my Facebook page, Life! Love! Song!  A Visit with Gena Branscombe, a short biography and photo of thirty different women composers of Gena’s era (1881-1977).   On International Women’s Day I posted a photo and biographical information on Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana who in 1916 voted for equal voting rights for women in all states.   To honor all thirty-one women during March was a learning experience and an eye-opener for their accomplishments. What struck me as I did my research was that 23 of these women attended college including Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Leipzig Conservatory, Paris Conservatory, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Conservatory of Music, Peabody, Columbia, New York University and other schools.   These same women studied with the great composition teachers of the time whether here in the United S...

Dame Ethel Mary Smyth (1858-1944) Born in London, Dame Ethel Smyth was determined from a young age to become a composer.  Her musical talent granted her admission to the Leipzig Conservatory of Music where she met the leading composers of the day, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Grieg!  Through her composition teacher she was introduced to Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms.  Not a bad start for a student in the music world! Her compositions include songs, piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, a Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra, a Mass in D and two operas, "The Wreckers" and "Der Wald" which was performed at the Metropolitan Opera.  Deafness prevented her from composing any other major works or ever hearing her music performed and accepted by adoring orchestra and audience members.   Unfortunately for Dame Smyth and all other women composers, their music was always labeled as that of a "woman composer" and not as artistically vi...

Mary Carr Moore (1873-1957) One of the common traits among the women composers I have already posted and ones to come in the upcoming weeks is their ability to multi-task within their musical ability.   In addition, nearly all these composers’ talent was recognized when they were quite young! Mary Carr Moore was a composer, conductor, singer and music educator which made her a working musician of her day.   Born in Tennessee, she lived with her family for ten years in Louisville, Kentucky before they relocated to the West Coast.   California became her home base for the remainder of her life.   In San Francisco Miss Moore began composition lesson with J. H. Pratt and voice lessons with H. B. Pasmore.   At age 16 she began teaching and composing.   That same year her first published song was released for sale.   Having composed her first operetta, “The Oracle,” she performed the lead at the premiere of the work!   Eventually Mary Carr ...

Mabel Daniels (1878-1971) Active in music from an early age, Mabel Daniels was a magna cum laude graduate of Radcliffe College.   While a student she was a soloist in the Glee Club and composed two operettas that were performed by her fellow students.   After graduation, she studied composition with George W. Chadwick in Boston who encouraged her to study with Ludwig Thuille in Munich, Germany . Once in Munich she attempted to enroll in a score-reading class given by Director Stavenhagen.   No woman had ever been admitted to his class.   She entered the classroom to play her audition where thirty male students waited in judgment of her keyboard skills.   "You could have heard a pin drop, the place was so still. . . . Just as I took my seat before the keyboard, I heard one of the men smother a laugh. That settled it! I was bound to do or die, and with a calmness quite unnatural I played the bars set before me without a mistake. Nobody laughed when I ...

In honor of Women's History Month, on specific days I will post a woman composer's photograph and bio.  Each of these composers was of the same era as Gena Branscombe and may have had a connection to her. Today's composer.......Marion Bauer Marion Bauer (1882-1955) The youngest of seven children, Marion Bauer was born in Walla Walla, Washington.   Her musical talent was quickly recognized by her father, an amateur musician.   By age 16 she had graduated from high school and headed to New York City to begin her advanced musical training in composition.   Fluent in French and English, Bauer spent time in Paris studying with Raoul Pugno and became the first American to study with Nadia Boulanger.   Upon returning to New York City, she studied with Eugene Heffley and Walter Henry Rothwell all the while teaching piano and theory lessons privately.   Though never having been granted a college degree, Miss Bauer was hired to teach theory and...

Louise Talma  (1906-1996) New York City, 1991….phone conversation…. “Hello, may I please speak to Louise Talma?”   “Speaking.”   “Miss Talma, my name is Kathleen Shimeta and I am a mezzo-soprano.   You do not know me.   I am calling because I am in the midst of planning a recital of American art songs composed by living composers.   When I perform this recital, I would like the composers to be in the audience.   The program will take place in November, American Music Month, so my recital honors living American composers.   I would like to include some of your songs on the program.”   “Have you purchased any of my songs?” “Not yet.”   “Well, when you have purchased my songs, call me back.”   And, she abruptly hung up the phone.   Thus was my introduction to composer, Louise Talma. Born in Arcachon, France, Miss Talma was raised in New York City.   Her musical training took place at Institute of Musical Arts ...

Kathleen Lockhart Manning (1890-1951). Born in Hollywood, California, Kathleen was fortunate to study piano and composition with Moritz Moszkowski in Paris.   Also a singer, she performed with the Hammerstein Opera Company in London during the 1911-1912 season.   As a composer she wrote mainly vocal works for which she penned her own words.   Her song cycles include, “Sketches of New York,” “Sketches of London,”   “Sketches of Paris,” “Chinese Impressions,” and “Songs of Egypt.”   A number of her individual songs were arranged for chorus. After the death of Miss Lockhart Manning’s husband in 1938, mental illness haunted her the remainder of her life.   She died in Los Angeles.   I am not sure if Kathleen Lockhart Manning and Gena Branscombe actually knew each other but there is a reference to Gena in one of Kathleen’s diary entries.   She noted that she must send Miss Branscombe a copy of her newest published song cyc...

In honor of Black History Month, I have been posting pictures and biographical information about African American women on my Facebook page.   As trailblazers from the past to the present day, these women represent careers in nursing, space travel, music, acting, business, teaching, journalism, politics, missionary work, a woman who disguised herself as a man in order to serve her country during the Civil War and more.   All were and are pioneers of their day and the present day.   Strength, belief and the will to survive in the face of adversity is the example they all set forth for us.   Discovering and researching these women has been a learning curve of sheer joy for me.   It came to me that I wanted to tie all these African American women who worked for equality into my Gena Branscombe project and blog.   Gena Tenney Phenix, Gena Branscombe’s eldest daughter, was a pianist and musician who studied at Barnard College followed by two years...

More good news!  Radio Arts Indonesia will be broadcasting numerous cuts from my CD, "Ah! Love, I Shall Find Thee: Songs of Gena Branscombe."  Thanks to Charles Conrad for introducing Indonesia to Miss Branscombe's beautiful romantic music.  My wonderful pianist, Martin Hennessy, will be featured for the solo piano pieces he recorded.  I did say and mean wonderful!  Martin's expressive and musical playing of these lovely piano works written for Gena's daughters will capture your heart!  Enjoy! Please go to their website http://radio.artsindonesia.com/  and click on their "Listings" button.  There you will find the days, times and titles of the pieces Mr. Conrad will air.  

Some great NEWS!  Ellen Grolman of radio station WFCF will be playing several selections from my Gena Branscombe disc, Ah! Love, I Shall Find Thee: Songs of Gena Branscombe on her weekly radio show, Music of our Mothers , Wednesday, February 12th, between 1:00 and 2:00 PM.  What an honor to have a radio station play your recording!  The two-hour show streams live on iheartradio; simply search for WFCF, Flagler College Radio in St. Augustine, FL.  It is wonderful to look forward to sharing this beautiful music with the WFCF listening audience. Thanks, Ellen, for promoting women's music.