Library of Congress - August 2025

 Gather four people together; discuss dates for travel to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC - August 4, 5 and 6; plan for our individual research projects with our collective interest in the archives of publisher Arthur P. Schmidt of Boston; alert the Library of Congress we will be there on said dates – all this planning created a memorable three days in our nation’s library.

(John Adams Building - Library of Congress)

 Who were these four people?  Dr. Derek Strykowski who is authoring a book about Arthur P. Schmidt, his life and his impact on music publishing in America; Linda Johnson, great granddaughter of Arthur P. Schmidt with her interest in reviewing all the business records and letters from which she would learn more about her great grandfather; Dr. Regan Russell who wrote her dissertation on Gena Branscombe’s 150 art songs was reading women composers' letters written to Schmidt and then, well, me who you know has an interest in Gena Branscombe and whose publisher was Mr. Schmidt! 

 

Paul Sommerfeld, Senior Music Reference Specialist, knowing we were descending upon the Music Reading room assembled a display of items from the Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Company archives.  Business ledger books, a photo of Schmidt’s home in Boston, an Amy Beach manuscript score and much more.  Joining us that first day was Robin Rausch, former Head of Reader Services, Music Division who is now retired.  Robin and I have known one another for nearly 17 years.  

 

Now it was on to our research.  We filled out our request slips for various items from the Schmidt archives, once the boxes arrived we settled into our individual research.  Stopping for lunch we were joined by Melissa Wertheimer, former Music Reference Specialist and now Senior Digital Collections Specialist for Web Archiving. 

 A few years ago Melissa presented a lecture on the first women composers who joined the National League of American Pen Women in 1924.  There we were over lunch -  Paul, Robin, Melissa, Regan, Derek, Linda and myself sharing our lives and music interests. 

(from left to right - Linda Johnson, Kathleen, Melissa Wertheimer, Regan Russell, Robin Rausch, Derek Strykowski)

Back to researching, then, dinner where once again lively conversation abounded despite our exhaustion from all we had read and photographed.  Sleep was, oh so, welcome that evening.

More of the same research on Tuesday and Wednesday - Schmidt boxes being called to our reading tables, sharing those boxes with one another, sharing our special finds.

(left to right - Kathleen, Paul Sommerfeld, Linda Johnson, Derek Strykowski)

From those three days spent at the Library of Congress we came away having made new friends with like-minded interests.  We are thankful for the experienced, helpful and kind group of Music Specialists at the Library. Their knowledge of the collections in the Library is unbeatable.   They have the ability to move from reading table to reading table offering advice to one person working on an 18^th century subject or another person researching a music theater collection and there we were working on Arthur P. Schmidt. I use this word honestly, these Music Specialists are amazing. 

(Note the picture behind Mr. Schmidt, top row, second from the left - Gena Branscombe - the very picture that was in her file in the Schmidt archive - see below)
 

Frequently I will say that using the internet for research is great, yet, when you befriend a librarian, their knowledge of your subject matter opens up a wide super highway of research materials which they happily share with you. Human contact….never forget the importance of human contact in our technology driven society.

#BringingBackBranscombe

Charlotte Kay Russell

 The Gena Branscombe Project and #BringingBackBranscombe congratulate our Board member, Regan Russell, and her husband, Howdy, on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Charlotte Kay Russell.  Born on January 15, 2024, this bundle of joy weighed 7 lbs, 14 ounces.  

Welcome to the world Miss Charlotte and we know you will be a big supporter and fan of Gena Branscombe's music.  

#BringingBackBranscombe

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

Dr. Regan Russell - The Arts Songs of Gena Branscombe

 

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.

 

Her dissertation includes a complete list of Branscombe’s songs, listings of songs for specific voice ranges, suggestions for groupings of songs with program notes explaining how the group works.  With explanations of the poets and their poetry, how the songs fit together and more, her understanding of Branscombe’s songs will be an informative aid for teachers and singers alike. Gena Branscombe’s songs – all 150 – of them are now alive in the 21^st century!  Thank you, Dr. Regan. 

 

There was a live stream of Regan’s presentation.  At the Q&A after she finished, the surprise came when Dr. Morgan Scott Phenix, Gena Branscombe’s grandson, congratulated Regan on all of her work and added his family’s thanks. 

 

Congratulations, Dr. Regan Russell – “you were chosen.”  It was an honor and privilege to be part of your doctoral degree journey. 

Below is a link to Regan’s dissertation.  Enjoy reading it. 

Read her dissertation on OpenBU here.

#BringingBackBranscombe