It Only Took Three Years

 It only took me three years to complete this particular Gena project.  Three years, yet, I kept at it even though I did take extended breaks at times to work on other Gena projects that needed attention.  Three years……

 Yes, for three years I transcribed Gena Branscombe’s letters to her publisher, The Arthur P. Schmidt Co. of Boston.  Held at the Library of Congress, the Schmidt business books, letters to/from all composers they published, photos and more are in the stacks available for research.  Five years ago I photographed every letter Gena Branscombe wrote to Mr. Schmidt, Miss Emery, Miss Allen, Mr. Austin and others at the company.  

From December 1910 to December 1951 Gena wrote hundreds of letters to these people.  Forty-one years of handwritten letters almost impossible to decipher at times because of her terrible penmanship and she always wrote in haste….even she admitted that. 

 

In two different letters she expressed the thrill of receiving Mr. Schmidt’s gift of a Richard Wagner letter and later a Clara Schumann letter.  Her excitement jumps off the pages.  She wrote of her deep admiration for Richard Wagner and his place in music history.  

Her narrative of being invited to join, as one of the first women composers, the National League of American Pen Women….an honor that she describes as being “thrilled as a child at Christmas.” 

 Her frustrations of not having time to write a piano sonata or a piano concerto or a major symphony nearly broke my heart.  Her children’sillnesses, the deaths of family members, her daughters’ school triumphs and their careers appear with an emotional honesty that is at times shocking considering the era. 

 Gena moved headlong into balancing her career, marriage and family life.  I read as she described days of nervous illness, needing rest, financial woes, worry that her husband would enlist during WWI leaving her with two daughters to care for on her own. 

 Countless letters requested copies of her music be sent to singers, coaches and conductors many of whom were famous in their day.  Gena wrote of her meetings with these musicians – networking in hopes that performances of her music would happen!

 In a 1941 letter Gena requested a copy of one of her songs be sent to her two small friends, Pierre and Peggy Biscaye.  I had the pleasure of meeting Pierre and Peggy a few years ago when they gifted me that autographed song and one of Miss Branscombe’s batons.  

 Self-promotion was one of her great strengths.  This was her day-to-day life – her entire life.  An admirable women -  a woman composer in an age where women were thought to be second class music citizens!

What did I learn most of all about Miss Branscombe ? – perseverance, determination, generosity, self-promotion, graciousness, strength of character for no matter the ups and downs and frustration.  All these attributes she maintained as a professional  inspiring optimistic influence on herself then sharing these with her family, friends, colleagues and anyone who walked into her path of life. 

 In the final paragraph of Gena’s March 9, 1918 letter to Mr. Arthur Schmidt, she expresses  her thoughts and admiration for his dedication to American composers …..

 “There has been something on my mind for some time – and I hope you won’t think me a very – meddlesome – sort of person – to be thinking about it even.  But it’s this – you published American compositions long before other people.  You’ve published more big things – with no hope of financial return – you’ve published more American women’s things than anyone else - and all this in the days when it wasn’t fashionable and patriotic – and all that to boost American music!  I feel that that thing should be recognized and known and advertised in a strong way.  You’ll probably just think I’m – very fresh – but I know I’m right.  I think it would be most interesting to know – to have a complete record – of all the American compositions of your catalogue published long before the tide began to turn in favor of giving the American composer a chance.  Forgive me if I rush in.”

 

Ever thankful for having a publisher who understood the importance of our country’s musical talent, Gena wrote hundreds of letters to Mr. Schmidt and his employees grateful for their support, appreciative of their hard work promoting her music and always sending those all-important royalty checques!

#BringingBackBranscombe