Music Meets Drama

  Over several months of letters in 1922 were discussions between Miss Branscombe and Mr. Austin at the Arthur P. Schmidt Company of Boston.  The subject matter:  a set of songs Gena Branscombe wrote for her daughters.   She desperately wanted the “Un-improving Songs for Enthusiastic Children and One for Sleepy Time” to be published for the Christmas season sheet music market.  Proofs of the songs were mailed between Gena and Mr. Austin.  With the Christmas season deadline fast approaching, there was a Post Office delay in the corrected proofs being delivered in a timely fashion.  Anxiety haunted the composer. Yet, what came as a surprise in these letters was the discussion of who would create the sheet music cover art work.  When sheet music was the rage, the covers for the music were colorful and eye-catching.  A talented designer was a must! Gena’s friend, Mrs. Elise Nevins Morgan of Methuen, Massachusetts, recommended her artist frien...

As we walk down streets looking in store windows, display items can trigger memories of objects or people from our past. Several months ago The New York Times published a picture of a conductor’s baton lying across an opened music score. That picture jarred Pierre Biscaye’s memory. He signed on to his computer to look for any information he could find on conductor/composer Gena Branscombe. Why?  As a child, Pierre knew Miss Branscombe who visited his family’s home and had dinner with them. She gave one of her conducting batons to him and one to his sister, Peggy. The baton and music in the Times’ picture reminded Pierre of that special gift from Gena Branscombe.  Upon my return from performing in St. Louis last November, there was a message from Pierre on my answering machine. Searching for information about Miss Branscombe, he found my website, read about my project and then, contacted me. What followed over the next few weeks were phone conversations with journe...

Over the past 11 years I have been fortunate enough to purchase some of Gena Branscombe’s sheet music found on either Ebay or Amazon. Sheet music covers from her era could be works of art. It is easy to see that most of her covers were rather subdued which may be have been her choice or that of the publisher. Enjoy a look at some of her sheet music. With a photo of the St. Lawrence river, this song features poetry by the composer who was ever dedicated to her beloved Canada. Schmidt published this song in 1921. As poet and composer Gena's song "Autumn Wind so Wistful" was published in 1911 and republished in 1914 by Arthur Schmidt. Published by Schmidt in 1917, Gena set the poetry of Katherine Tynan. Gena teamed with her friend,fellow Canadian and poet Arthur Stringer to compose this song. Published in 1945 by Arthur Stringer. This is dedicated to the World War II Canadian soldiers. "Songs of the Unafraid" and ...