Coventry's Choir
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,...