Sonata in One Movement for Violin and Pianoforte - Violin Sonata in A Minor

 

For Gena Branscombe the years 1919-1920 were ones of deep sorrow, depression and a time for her compositional creativity to be a healing agent following the deep loss of her 3 year old daughter Betty.  As I have written in the past, her largest work ever, Pilgrims of Destiny, was composed during these years. 

Though Miss Branscombe’s 150 art songs lead the number of compositions she wrote, there were also piano and choral works, chamber music and instrumental pieces including her Sonata in One Movement for Violin and Pianoforte.  This is a tour-de-force piece that was denied publication because it was deemed too difficult by publishers.  The one movement sonata opens restless seeming to seek out its development then settles into three contrasting thematic groups.  It is florid and extroverted based in the late German romantic style. 

Making its way to the concert stage, the sonata’s first performers used the original manuscript loaned to them by Miss Branscombe with directions to immediately return it to her post performance. 

The first known performance of the Sonata in A Minor for Violin and Pianoforte was in 1920 at a concert of works presented by the Women’s Arts Association of Canada in Toronto.

Following the Toronto concert, violinist Elena de Sayn, played the sonata on a concert in Washington, DC.  In a letter exchange with Elena de Sayn, Branscombe wrote, “I’ll gladly go over [the sonata] with you (fighting passionately for my own ideas as to tempi!!!) … but you’re safe with your own pianist.” (Letter held in the Library of Congress, De Sayn collection - Box 1, folder 16).

Miss Branscombe was a detailed composer who painstakingly marked every dynamic and variation of dynamic, tempo changes and more in every measure of a piece.  The sheer number of these markings drives a performer crazy as they learn and practice her works, thus her remarks to Elena that she would “fight passionately for my own ideas as to tempi!”

By 1934 Gena Tenney, Gena Branscombe’s oldest daughter, was a composition and conducting student at the Royal College of Music in London.  No doubt daughter Gena encouraged the performance of her mother’s violin sonata on a “Concert of Works by American Women,” on December 8, 1934.  The soloists were the acclaimed violinist Olga Rudge and pianist Jessie Hall. Other composer friends of Gena Branscombe’s included on that program were Marion Bauer and Ethel Glenn Hier. 

Time passes, music and composer are forgotten until in 2008 Ralitsa Tcholakova and Dr. Elaine Keillor release a CD, “Remembered Voices” on which they performed Gena Branscombe’s violin sonata.  

November 2022, the sonata is again performed at The Gena Branscombe Project inaugural concert performed by Aija Reke and Dr. Regan Russell.   

On May 6, 2023 at the “Bringing Back Branscombe to the Upper West Side” concert Deborah Nixon, violin and Nelson Ojeda Valdes, piano, performed the sonata….just blocks from where Gena composed the piece in 1920. 

Thanks to Deborah Nixon, the sonata has made its way to London once again and is being considered for study and performance…..only 89 years later. 

And, today, May 17, 2023, Aija Reke is performing Gena’s sonata in her home country of Latvia. 

Back to 1925, Gena wanted to change the title from Violin Sonata in A minor to “The Crusader.” When you listen to the sonata you will understand why!

We continue our work of #BringingBackBranscombe.  With the help of recent performers who have performed a tour-de-force violin sonata by an American woman composer….a composer whose music was forgotten but is now in the 21^st century, these violinists and pianists are telling her story, telling of her beautiful music. 

#BringingBackBranscombe

photo of Deborah Nixon and Nelson Ojeda Valdes courtesy of Gary Schoichet

Recordings

In 2018 two recordings were released that included works by Gena Branscombe.  Orchestral music of American composers from the late 19^th century and early 20^th century represents one of the CDs.  The second recording features the piano music of 13 American women composers. 

American Romantics III garnered the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Reuben Blundell, the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music.  Recording the music of David Stanley Smith, Carol Busch, Edward MacDowell, Charles Wakefield Cadman, Cecil Burleigh, Ludwig Bonvin and Gena Branscombe – not all the composers are familiar names to everyone, the music is beautiful and a tribute to  the wide range of American music.  Congratulations. 

Gena’s piece on this CD, “A Memory” was originally composed for violin and piano.  As a gift to the founder, Edwin Fleisher, of the Philadelphia Symphony club, composer William Happich arranged the work for harp and strings in 1922.  The arrangement is now held in the Free Library of Philadelphia.

On the Centaur Label, pianist Joanna Goldstein released her Nasty Women CD.  Along with Miss Branscombe’s “The Squirrel Party,” this recording includes works by Gena’s friends and colleagues Florence Price, Mary Howe, Harriet Ware, Amy Beach, Ethel Hier, Mana-Zucca and others.  Listening to each of these women composer’s distinctive piano works and musical styles is an aural and emotional treat. 

Gena Branscombe’s home country has never forgotten her.  Over many years Canadian musical artists have recorded her songs, violin and piano works.  Elaine Keillor, piano, has been a champion of Miss Branscombe’s music recording her “Valse Caprice” on her CD By a Canadian Lady – Piano Music 1841-1997.  With violinist Ralitsa Tcholakova, the two recorded Gena’s “Sonata in A minor” on their Remembered Voices CD.

 Le Souvenir – Canadian Songs for Parlour and Stage features baritone Russell Braun singing Gena’s song “Serenade.”  The same song was included on the CD, When You and I were Young Maggie – 19^th Century Canadian Salon Music.  There is a slight twist to this CD as Gena’s song was performed on flugel horn and piano. 

Then, there is my CD, Ah! Love I Shall Find Thee: Songs of Gena Branscombe.  Songs and piano works by the composer.

Among the CDs, the individual’s work, dedication, effort and musical abilities gives voice to American and Canadian composers.  The composers are not as famous as the three male B’s.  The recording artists have given their listeners music from the past that warrants being heard.  Open your ears and soul to lesser known composers and artists as they have much to offer the classical music world!