Woman's Work in Music Part 8

Pauline Thys is a writer who has won considerable dramatic fame. She has published some songs, but has devoted herself almost wholly to the stage. Among her successful operettas are "La Pomme de Turquie" and "La Perruque du Bailli." Her comic operas have been very well received, and include such favourites in their time as "Le Pays de Cosagne," "Le Cabaret du Pot-Ca.s.se," "Le Fruit Vert," and "Le Mariage de Tabarin." She has also composed the lyric drama, "Judith." Comtesse Anais de Perriere-Pilte (Anais Marcelli) produced several successful operas and operettas, among them "Le Sorcier" and "Les Vacances de l'Amour." The Baroness de Maistre wrote a number of worthy religious works, among them an excellent "Stabat Mater." Of her operas, "Les Roussalkas" met with a success when produced in Brussels. Marguerite Olagnier is a composer whose productions show real worth. Her "Sais," performed in 1881, contained many beautiful numbers. She has written another opera, "Le Persan."

Marie de Pierpont was a talented writer for the organ, as well as an excellent performer on that instrument. She entered the operatic field with a work ent.i.tled "Le Triomphe du C[oe]ur," which is reckoned her best production. The Baroness Durand de Fortmague was successful as an amateur, and her "Bianco Torello" and "Folies d'Amour" have been frequently given. Mlle. de Sainte-Croix has written a number of successful one-act operettas, which have been well received in the Paris theatres. Mme. Amelie Perronet has won laurels in the same field, and has written some popular chansonettes. Charlotte Jacques rests her fame on a single work, "La Veille." Mlle. Gignoux has directed her talents to the lyric drama, "La Vision de Jeanne d'Arc" being her most notable work. Hermine Dejazet is another operetta composer. Mme. Gallois is responsible for several ballets, besides songs and piano works, while Hedwige Chretien-Genaro, a professor at the Conservatoire and a musician of real worth, won much success with her "Ballet Oriental."

In the domain of choral music, Mme. Delaval, a famous harpist of the eighteenth century, produced a cantata depicting the farewell of the unfortunate Louis XVI. to his people, which met with much success, but was naturally not a favourite in revolutionary France. She was also the author of much good harp music and many songs. Marie Sophie Gay, born at Paris in 1776, is credited with several cantatas, besides a good deal of piano music. Marie Anne Quinault was another eighteenth century composer who devoted her talents to the writing of motets and other church music.

The Comtesse de Saint-Didier, born in 1790, was an amateur whose cantata, "Il Est Rendu," met with some success at Paris. In later times, Mme. Helene Robert-Mazel, an excellent pianist, produced the cantata, "Le Jugement Dernier," besides a number of interesting songs and a valuable collection of children's vocal music. Cecile Derheimer was another gifted composer who wrote a number of ma.s.ses and other religious music, while Mme. Alphonse de Neuville, widow of the well-known painter, has composed a worthy ma.s.s, besides violin works and songs. These names are enough to prove that French women could equal their English sisters in this field, if the national taste demanded it of them.

With those who have written concertos should be cla.s.sed Rosa La Roche, who lived in the latter half of the eighteenth century, and published a number of sonatas besides a successful piece for piano and orchestra.

Mlle. Lechantre, of the same period, composed a work that was only a concerto by courtesy, for her orchestra consisted of two violins, two oboes, viola, and double-ba.s.s. In the nineteenth century, Mme. Marie Jaell, born Trautermann in 1846, took a position of some importance. She became a successful pianist, winning prizes at the Conservatoire, and publis.h.i.+ng a new method of piano teaching that roused widespread attention and comment. Her compositions include a piano concerto, a piano quartette, and a number of excellent smaller works, such as an impromptu, two meditations, six pet.i.ts morceaux, and some valses for two pianos.

Among violin writers, Mlle. Brisson, who flourished in the early part of the last century, produced a number of pieces for that instrument with piano, as well as some harp and piano music. Virginie du Verger was the author of three duets for violin and piano, besides a piano sonata and some etudes. In the field of piano music, the earliest name is that of the Marquise de la Misangere, who was born in 1693. Her ability as a performer on the clavichord was something remarkable, and she left behind her a number of works for her instrument. At the end of the eighteenth century, Mme. Helene Montgeroult held a prominent position as teacher in the conservatory and publisher of sonatas and other piano pieces.

In the early years of the nineteenth century, Mme. Marie Bigot won a great reputation by her playing. Her ability to read at sight was unusually marked, and she played the Sonata Appasionata of Beethoven from his ma.n.u.script in a way that astonished and delighted the composer.

She did much to introduce Beethoven's piano works to Parisian audiences.

Among her own compositions are many excellent piano pieces. Camille Marie Pleyel was another fine Parisian pianist, and a pupil of Moscheles and other great masters. Schumann gave high praise to her performances.

She, too, published a number of piano works. Louise Ma.s.sart, who succeeded Mme. Farrenc as a Conservatoire professor, was another piano composer of note. Among contemporary pianist-composers, Berthe Marx takes high rank. She won prizes and medals at an early age, and became famous through many concert tours, partly alone and partly in company with the violinist Sarasate. Her works include a number of excellent display pieces. She is now Mme. Otto Goldschmidt. Two other brilliant performers and writers for the piano are Charlotte Tardieu de Malleville and Helene Collin.

Louise la Hye deserves mention with the organ writers. She was a grandniece of the great Jean Jacques Rousseau, and flourished in the first part of last century. She won her laurels early, being cut off by an untimely death when only twenty-eight. She had already attained a professors.h.i.+p of harmony in the Conservatoire, and published many valuable organ works, besides pieces for piano and other instruments.

Several ma.s.ses by her remained in ma.n.u.script.

Among the song composers of the eighteenth century belongs Mme. de Travenet, whose romances and chansons, with piano or harp, became very popular. Pauline Duchambge, of later date, won great success in a similar manner. Hortense, Queen of Holland (1783-1837), published an alb.u.m of her own songs at Paris. Mlle. Molinos-Lafitte is credited with a number of songs, which form another Parisian collection. In connection with singing, the excellent teaching work of Mme. Marchesi has been supplemented by the publication of numerous sets of admirable vocalises from her pen. In the realm of harp playing, the Comtesse de Genlis became noted in the eighteenth century, and published many compositions for the instrument. Marie Pollet, somewhat later in point of time, wrote a number of harp pieces, and played them in her many concert tours.

Theresa Demar was another celebrated harpist and harp composer.

CHAPTER IX.

AMERICA

If the term America be applied, as is often the case, only to the United States, then the list of its women composers will still be found to include practically all who have done work in this line in the Western hemisphere. By far the larger part of these women are living now, for our musical growth has taken place in recent years. The record is already a worthy one, and will become still more extensive in the near future.

At the head of the list stands Mrs. H. H. A. Beach, the one great name to be found in our country. She was born in Henniker, N. H., on September 5, 1867, her maiden name being Amy Marcy Cheney. She is descended from one of the oldest New England families, and her middle name indicates her relations.h.i.+p to the Marcy line, which includes the famous cabinet officer, William L. Marcy.

Mrs. Beach's love of music, which she inherited from her mother's family, began to show itself almost at once. From the time when she was only a year old, she began to amaze her family and their friends by the most astonis.h.i.+ng musical feats. She proved herself possessed of absolute pitch; she memorized dozens of tunes; she listened for hours at a time to violin music, while pieces in minor keys caused her such grief that they were employed by her parents in place of punishments. At the age of two she was given a photographic sitting, and at the critical moment she electrified the group about her by suddenly singing Handel's "See, the conquering hero comes." The photographer, who had been rehearsing that work for the first peace jubilee, was astounded to find that she gave it with the most perfect accuracy. Her power of memory exerted itself in other fields, and almost as soon as she learned to read she was able to recite long and difficult selections. She also showed a marked ability to improvise melodies and sing an accompanying part to any given theme.

Her active mind a.s.sociated a certain definite colour with each musical key, a habit which continues to the present time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MRS. H. H. A. BEACH.]

At the age of four she succeeded in obtaining permission to touch the piano, although she was so small that she had to improvise a pedestal in order to reach the keys. She soon learned many pieces, and began to compose little waltzes of her own. One of these was thought out wholly without the piano, and played correctly three months afterward. She read from printed notes before she knew their names, and found no trouble in making transpositions at will. At six she insisted on having regular lessons, which were begun by her mother, and continued for two years at home. During that period she learned many difficult works, including etudes by h.e.l.ler and Czerny, some Chopin valses, and various movements of the Beethoven sonatas, including the whole of the first one. At this time also she grew interested in the works of Bach, and learned to understand and appreciate the beauty of the interweaving voices in a fugue.

At the age of eight, her parents took her to Boston to pursue her general education. The musical authorities who heard her play insisted that she was able to enter any one of the great European conservatories, but with due regard to her health and her other studies, her parents wisely decided not to let her go. She was sent to Mr. W. L. Whittemore's private school, where she manifested all her usual quickness of attainment. Her piano work was greatly aided by her quick ear and accurate memory, and she was able, for example, to reproduce a Beethoven sonata without notes, merely after hearing a fellow pupil practise it.

Another use to which she put this accomplishment was the collection of bird songs, of which she now possesses a complete volume. Her skill in this direction was employed by ornithologists in obtaining the notes sung by the California larks.

Her more serious musical education was pursued under Mr. Ernst Perabo at first, and afterward under Junius W. Hill, of Wellesley College, and Carl Baermann. Under Professor Hill she took a single course of harmony, but in all the important subjects of counterpoint, fugue, musical form, and instrumentation, she carried on her work entirely alone. Among the tasks she set for herself was the translation of the books on orchestration by Berlioz and Gevaert. Another consisted in memorizing Bach fugues and rewriting them with a voice on each staff.

She made her Boston debut as a pianist in 1883, at the age of sixteen, playing a Moscheles concerto and a Chopin rondo. Her success was instantaneous, and in the same season she gave several recitals with similar result. In the next year she played a Chopin concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and a Mendelssohn work with the Thomas Orchestra. Since then she has appeared constantly in all of our large cities, often devoting whole programmes to her own works. At one of the Symphony concerts she brought out her own concerto. In December, 1885, she married Doctor Beach, and has since then made Boston her permanent home.

The first performances of her large works have often been events of importance. In 1892, when she brought out her ma.s.s in E flat at the Handel and Haydn concerts, she was on the programme for the piano part of Beethoven's Choral Fantasie, and the ovation she received on her appearance will not soon be forgotten by those present. Her "Jubilate"

cantata was written for the dedication of the women's building at the Chicago Exposition, and scored a great success there. During the fair, she played for the first time her romance for violin and piano, in conjunction with Miss Maud Powell. A violin sonata, which she composed later and played with Mr. Franz Kneisel, has become a favourite with the most famous artists in Paris, Berlin, London, and other great musical centres. The same popularity and favourable mention have been accorded to her piano pieces and songs, the Italian audiences especially becoming enthusiastic over some of the latter.

Her Gaelic Symphony, built on real Gaelic themes, was another ambitious work. It was first given at Boston in 1896, and since then has gone the rounds of all the great American cities. Among her other large works are three cantatas, with orchestral accompaniment that can be reduced to dimensions suitable for piano. They are "The Rose of Avontown," for female voices, "The Minstrel and the King," for male chorus and soloists, and "Sylvania," a wedding cantata recently published. Another vocal work of great merit is an _a capella_ motet, while among her earlier compositions is the _scena_ for contralto and orchestra, ent.i.tled "Eilende Wolken," on a text from Schiller's "Maria Stuart."

Mrs. Beach's piano works consist of a cadenza to Beethoven's C minor concerto, a valse-caprice, a ballade, four sketches, a "Bal Masque"

Waltz, a Children's Carnival and Children's Alb.u.m, her concerto in C sharp minor, a transcription of Richard Strauss's "Serenade," five pieces (Barcarolle, Menuet Italien, Danse des Fleurs, Scottish Legend, Gavotte Fantastique), and a set of six duets ent.i.tled "Summer Dreams."

For violin and piano, besides the two works already mentioned, are three pieces, "La Captive" (G string), "Berceuse," and "Mazurka," all three being arranged for 'cello and piano also. Her vocal works include more than sixty songs, most of which are well known to American music lovers.

Some are provided with violin _obligato_, while others have orchestral accompaniments. There are a number of part-songs for different combinations of voices, and several sacred selections for various occasions. Among her songs the favourites are "Fairy Lullaby,"

"Ecstasy," "Thy Beauty," "Scottish Cradle Song," "Elle et Moi,"

"Spring," "Hymn of Trust," some sets of Shakespeare, Browning, and Burns poems, and many others,--in fact, practically the entire list.

Margaret Ruthven Lang, another of Boston's gifted musical women, was born November 27, 1867. The name of her father, Mr. B. J. Lang, is familiar to all Americans who can claim to know anything of music. Her mother was an exquisite amateur singer, and in the musical atmosphere of the family the daughter's talents have had every opportunity to develop.

She commenced her piano study under a pupil of her father's and continued it under paternal direction. She took up violin with Louis Schmidt in Boston, and carried it on with Drechsler and Abel in Munich, where she also began composition with Victor Gluth. After her return she continued her work for a time with Prof. John K. Paine and J. C. D.

Parker, finis.h.i.+ng her orchestration with George W. Chadwick. Her own persistent study has been of great advantage to her.

She began composing at the age of twelve, numbering among her early works several songs and a movement of a piano quintette. Her efforts in larger forms have been unusually well received. Her "Dramatic Overture"

was given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1893, and in the same year Theodore Thomas performed her overture, "Witichis." Still another overture, "Totila," is in ma.n.u.script. Among other works are three orchestral arias, "Sappho's Prayer to Aphrodite," for alto; "Armida,"

for soprano; and the yet unperformed "Ph[oe]bus," for baritone. An orchestral ballade won much success in Baltimore in 1901. She has also written an orchestral cantata, a string quartette, and several works for violin and piano.

Miss Lang has published a number of successful part-songs for men's, women's, and mixed voices. Of her fifty or more songs, all are more or less widely known. The favourites among them seem to be "My Lady Jacqueminot," "Meg Merrilies," "Deserted," "Eros," and the well-known sets, "Five Norman Songs," "Six Scotch Songs," "Three Songs of the Night," and "Three Songs of the East." Her piano music is also excellent, among the best examples being the Rhapsody, the Meditation, a poetic revery, the charming Spring Idyll, and her early suite, ent.i.tled "Pet.i.t Roman."

Clara Kathleen Barnett, now Mrs. Rogers, is also a resident of Boston.

Born in England, she received her earliest musical education from her parents. They were of a talented family, for her grandfather was the famous song-writer, Robert Lindley. In 1856 she was sent to the Leipsic Conservatory, studying piano with Moscheles, ensemble playing with David and Rietz, and harmony with Richter. Her singing, by which she first became famous, was begun with Goetze and finished at Berlin under Frau Zimmermann. Under the name of Clara Doria, she appeared with success in many Italian cities, and finally came to America, where she married and settled in Boston. Her present work consists of teaching and composing.

In the former field, her book, "The Philosophy of Singing," contains much new and valuable material. Among her compositions is first of all a string quartette of excellent workmans.h.i.+p. There are also sonatas for violin and for 'cello with piano, and a piano _scherzo_. Her songs are many in number and excellent in quality. Among them are two sets of Browning Songs, six Folk Songs, and such favourites as "The Rose and the Lily," "Clover Blossoms," "Confession," "At Break of Day," and many others.

In the front rank of American pianists is Julia Rive-King. A native of Cincinnati, she began her musical education under William Mason and S.

B. Mills, finis.h.i.+ng abroad with Reinecke and Liszt. At her debut, in Leipsic, she scored a great success, and since then has been steadily before the public. Her compositions are mostly for piano, including some excellent Liszt and Scarlatti transcriptions. Among her own works are a Polonaise Heroque, Polka Caprice, Gems of Scotland, and many other popular numbers.

Another pianist well known to American audiences is Mme. Helen Hopekirk Wilson. Although her birthplace and home are in England, she has spent so much time in this country that she may well be regarded as belonging to it. She, too, was a pupil of the Leipsic Conservatory, finis.h.i.+ng with Leschetizky, and making a successful debut with the Leipsic Gewandhaus orchestra in 1878. She has shown ability in the larger forms, her own concerto being produced in a Henschel concert at Edinburgh. She has several orchestral works still in ma.n.u.script, as well as a violin sonata. Her many songs and piano works make a list as long as it is honourable.

Several of the younger American women are beginning to make efforts in orchestral work. Clara Korn, a pupil of Bruno Klein, is responsible for two suites for orchestra, as well as one for violin, and various piano pieces and songs. Grace Marckwald has also tried her hand in the larger forms. Edna Rosalind Park, a native of Boston, now residing in New York, has shown decided talent in the songs she has published, and has several important works in ma.n.u.script. Margaret Williams, a Baltimore student who was born in Tennessee, produced a concert overture at one of the Peabody Symphony Concerts, and has also composed the words and music for a five-act opera, ent.i.tled "Columbus." Eliza Woods, another student at the same place, has written a full ma.n.u.script score for an overture, as well as a double fugue, a sonata, and a number of songs. Edith Noyes Porter, of Boston, is also at work on some extensive compositions, her published works to date being chiefly songs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JULIA RIVe-KING]

In the operatic field, Emma Steiner stands at the head. Born at Baltimore, she showed a taste for music at an early age, and was able to read and write notes when only seven. Her parents objected to a musical career for her, but she continued her practice, and earned money for further study by writing waltzes and other popular dance music. She became proficient in making orchestral arrangements, and has been eminently successful as a leader of many large New York organizations.

Among her operettas are "The Alchemist," also a version of the old French romance, "Fleurette," and an adaptation from Tennyson, called "Day Dreams." She is also the author of many songs.

Lillie Mahon Siegfried, of Buffalo, has also produced an operetta, besides the song, "The Beautiful Land of Nod," and several other songs and lullabies. Miss Estabrook has over forty songs to her credit, besides the operetta, "The Tournament." Mrs. John Orth has composed a children's operetta, also a number of simple songs and piano works for beginners. Laura Sedgwick Collins, who has already won a high rank, wrote the music to "Pierrot," besides many excellent songs and violin works.

In chamber music, Marguerite Melville has produced some worthy works.

Among them is a remarkably good piano quintette, while she has also written a sonata and a romanza for violin and piano, besides several beautiful songs. Alicia Van Buren, also author of a number of worthy songs, has published a string quartette with Breitkopf and Hartel. Alice Locke Pitman, now Mrs. Wesley, has written several violin works, besides a number of songs. Mary Knight Wood, another gifted member of the new generation, studied with Arthur Foote and B. J. Lang. She has already produced a piano trio, and her songs, such as "Ashes of Roses,"

"Heartsease," "Autumn," and so forth, are imbued with the most exquisite refinement. Marie von Hammer and Laura Danziger have written pieces for the 'cello, the latter supplementing this work by a number of piano compositions.

Organ music is well represented by the work of Helen Josephine Andrus, of Poughkeepsie. She is a graduate of Va.s.sar, where she won a degree by her musical studies. Her compositions include several organ pieces and a cantata for organ and strings, also anthems and various church music, as well as piano works and songs. Clara Rees is another organist who has produced a number of compositions. Lucina Jewell, a New England Conservatory graduate, is the author of an introduction and fugue for organ, besides some effective songs and other works. Faustina Ha.s.se Hodges was another able organist who wrote church music.

Helen Hood is one of America's few really gifted musical women. Boston has been her home and the scene of her chief work, although she has travelled abroad, and studied for two years with Moszkowski. Endowed with absolute pitch, she has composed from her earliest years, and her music won for her a medal and diploma at the Chicago Exposition. Her most important work is a piano trio, while her two violin suites are also made of excellent material.

Mrs. Jessie L. Gaynor has won an enviable position for herself, chiefly as a composer of children's songs. Her work is marked by bright and pleasing rhythms, excellent discretion in the proper choice of harmony, and a fluent ease that makes her productions unusually singable. It is not given to many composers to be able to make any real appeal to younger hearers, but Mrs. Gaynor is possessed of the sympathetic insight that enables her to win the utmost popularity with them. Her work is not confined to this vein, but includes some more ambitious songs for older performers, and even vocal quartettes.