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Coventry's Choir

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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,...
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Kathleen Lockhart Manning

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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...
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Dr. Regan Russell - The Arts Songs of Gena Branscombe

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  Work on doctoral dissertations is arduous with specific guidelines for research and writing form.   For over 3 years Regan Russell researched Gena Branscombe’s life through publications from over 100 years ago and interviews.   She sought out scores of 150 arts songs many of which were out-of-print, some not available because Miss Branscombe lost or destroyed them and the original manuscripts of some were in libraries where copies had to be made.   Persistence….that describes Regan and her dedication to Gena Branscombe’s songs!   On November 17, 2022 at Boston University, Regan presented her doctoral dissertation “Love in a Life: The Art Songs of Gena Branscombe.”   Her presentation included a lecture on Branscombe’s life, song development and a performance of five songs beautifully sung by baritone Gray Leiper with Regan accompanying him.   Regan’s work was scholarly, passionate about the subject matter and her musicianship exceptional.  ...
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