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, finishing with Leschetizky, and making a successful début 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 manuscript, 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 manuscript. 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, entitled "Columbus." Eliza Woods, another student at the same place, has written a full manuscript 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.
JULIA RIVÉ-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 Härtel. 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 Vassar, 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 Hasse 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.