 |
celebrating two hundred and fifty years of music by women |
Gena Branscombe (1881-1977)
Gena Branscombe was an award winning American composer and conductor, renowned in her lifetime. Although she was influenced by the late romantic German musical style, she helped to establish an early 20th century American musical voice with her 150 published works, including choral music, art songs, piano and chamber music. It was unusual for a woman of her time to attend the Chicago Musical College, and there she won two Gold Medals for composition. In 1909 she studied in Germany with Englebert Humperdinck (composition) and Rudolf Ganz (piano).Her oratorio Pilgrims of Destiny won the annual Best Composition Prize of the League of American Pen Women in 1928; (rental from Gena Branscombe Project). She was a founding member of the Society of American Women Composers in 1925, working closely with Mrs. H. H. A. Beach and Mary Howe; she served as the organization's President from 1929-1932. Gena formed her own Branscombe Chorale in 1926, a women's chorus based in New York City; as a tireless advocate of American music, she was involved with the MacDowell Club of New York, the Association of Women Composers of New York, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Society of American Women Composers, the National Association for American Composers and Conductors, the National Federation of Music Clubs and the National League of American Pen Women. Between 1934-54 she conducted, composed, arranged, commissioned from others, and fund-raised for the Branscombe Choral (1933-1954). During her lifetime she was published by Whaley Royce, Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Co., Boosey Hawkes and many others. Textual expression is of prime importance in her richly melodic vocal works; they are on a wide variety of topics, ranging from historical stories to exotic Eastern scenes. At age 92, Branscombe composed Introit, Prayer, Response, and Amen, commissioned by Riverside Church in New York. Click on these works for more details below: Sound Clips by Kathleen Shimeta (mezzo-soprano) & Martin Hennessy (piano) from Albany Records TROY599 Click what you want to hear: Serenade, Enchantment, How do I love thee, Ah! Love, Woodsy Nymph Back to Contents Pilgrims of Destiny, 1919 Scene 1: The Sailors. II: Richard & Ellen More. III: The Storm. IV: William Bradford & Rose Standish. V: Before the Dawn. VI: Land Sighting. 90 mins. Large orchestra. A Choral Drama for Soprano, Bass, Chorus and Orchestra; it is about the voyage of the Mayflower to the New World. This oratorio is a setting of Branscombe's own libretto about the first English settlers sailing to America in 1620 on board the Mayflower. It tells the story of the pilgrims' nine week journey crossing the Atlantic, and of how faith can triumph over adversity, illness and persecution. It features a chant-like melody with broad rolling chordal textures. Dramatic moments, depicted by whole tone scales and augmented chords, are atmospherically evocative of uncertainty and the ever-changing moods of nature and the sea. It won the 1928 Prize listed above and a contemporary review in the New York Times declared it to be "bubbling with tunefulness." Published by Oliver Ditson Music Company, c/o Theodore Pressler Co, 588 N Gulph Rd, King of Prussia, PA 19406, USA Article by Kathleen Shimeta Back to Contents Love in a Life, Song cycle for medium voice & piano. 1907. 1. I thought once how Theocritus had sung. 2. But only three in all God's universe. 3. How do I love thee? 4.The widest land doom. 5.The face of all the world is change. 6. My own beloved. 14 mins Settings of six poems of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese, this song cycle displays pleasing vocal lines, sophisticated harmonic structure, moments of great passion and compositional individuality. Perhaps the best known love poem in Western literature, "How do I love thee?" (see Sound Clips, above) is set in heartfelt and declamatory fashion; it was performed at Gena Branscombe's own wedding in 1910. The cycle progresses from lute-like spread chords at the opening, via reflective recitative to passionate melodies underscored with rich harmonies, and returns to the pastoral mood of the opening. The review on June 22, 1929 in the Musical Courier wrote 'Gena Branscombe has produced an America choral work of foremost rank'. Published by Recital Publications (see link below). Back to Contents Lute of Jade, Song Cycle for medium voice & piano. 1911 1. A Lovely Maiden Roaming. 2. There Was a King of Liang. 3. My Fatherland. 4. Fair is the Pine Grove. 9 mins. Piano and voice intertwine in this song cycle, which vividly sets translations of poetry by three Chinese poets of the T'ang Dynasty. "A Lovely Maiden Roaming" begins with a piano prelude and is richly painted with sixths and sevenths. In "There Was a King of Liang" and "My Fatherland," modal structures utilize open fifths and parallel moving chords. In "King of Liang," the poetry mourns the death of a great King and the demise of his once grand kingdom. "Fair is the Pine Grove" makes a joyful conclusion to the set. Published by Recital Publications, USA. Back to Contents Pacific Sketches, Three pieces for horn & piano. 1956. 11 mins 1. Kona Beach: Marcato. 2, Night in the Islands: Adagio teneremente. 3. Home Port: Allegro con giusto. The Sketches were premiered at the WNYC 17th Annual American Music Festival in1956. Weldon Wilbur and Lowell Farr performed them in a broadcast from Carl Fisher Concert Hall. The three short pieces reflect Branscombe's musical roots in the late romantic German style. Each is a brief distillation of the mood described in the title. Back to Contents American Suite, Three pieces for horn & piano. 1959. 11 mins 1. Bright Autumn: Marcato. 2. Love Song: Adagio teneremente. 3. Parade: Marziale. Branscombe reworked the Sketches and added new material to create this Suite, These expressive miniatures include a beautifully muted horn in the tender slow movement, and heralding calls in the final march. Copies can be requested from the New York Public Library. Scores in Library of Congress. Recital Publications. IMSLP. Original compositions by Branscombe in NYPL. Every Town is your Home Town. List including 83 songs by Branscombe. Recording: Ah, Love I shall find thee, on Songs of Gena Branscombe, Albany Records Writing: The Sound of Trumpets, article by Gena Branscombe, Showcase, Music Clubs Magazine. 1980 dissertation by L. A. E Marlow on Branscombe, ZB-908. Individuals and researchers from outside institutions can request scans via interlibrary loan. Cécile Chaminade, A Composer at Work, Karen Jee-Hae, 2003 dissertation University of British Columbia. Grateful thanks to Kathleen Shimeta for contributing to this page; her web site is at www.kathleenshimeta.com
|