Music Meets Drama

There have been surprises during the years I have spent working on my Gena Branscombe project. These are not weekly or even monthly happenings, yet have come at their own pace and always seem to catch me off-guard. During late 2011 we were contacted by the producers of Thomas Hampson’s radio series, Song of America . They were interested in using the Branscombe song, “Serenade” from my CD on this season’s broadcasts. Also, how did I pronounce my last name? Honored was how I felt. Sunday evening, February 26th, during the broadcast of his show, “Arthur Farwell, American Pioneer” my recording of “Serenade” was played as an example of a song published by Mr. Farwell through his famed company, Wa-Wan Press. Having been sought out to be included in this radio program showcasing Mr. Farwell as a song composer and also a publisher of songs was a tribute to the importance of Miss Branscombe’s music and the relationship she developed with him. I have written about Gena ...

In 1899 at the ripe age of 18 while in college, Gena Branscombe’s song “For Love’s Abroad in Springtime Eves” was published by the Hatch Music Company of Philadelphia. Imagine….over one hundred years ago, a woman composer had found a publisher to release her song. I try to comprehend that idea and often wonder how she managed to get published for the first time, then, just two years later in 1901, four of her piano pieces were published by the Canadian firm Whaley, Royce and Company. Two different music publishers in two years. It is difficult to grasp how hard it was for composers, even more so, women composers to be published. Composers submitted their compositions to music publishers who looked at the marketability of the piece, took into consideration the cost of type setting the music, printing, distribution, hopefully it would sell and the composer would earn royalties. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries people purchased sheet music with fancy colorful engaging art wor...