Music Meets Drama

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...