Helen Searles Westbrook
Helen Westbrook | |
|---|---|
| Born | Helen Searles October 15, 1889 |
| Died | 1967 (aged 77–78) |
| Occupations |
|
| Organizations |
|
Helen Searles Westbrook (October 15, 1889 – 1967) was an American composer[1] and organist who appeared with Chicago Symphony.[2]
Life
Westbrook began organ lessons at age eleven with her mother, who was also an organist.[3] Westbrook then studied with Arthur Dunham, Frank van Dusen, Wilhelm Middleschutte and Adolf Weidig at the American Conservatory, where she received a gold medal,[4] as well as a young American Artists award.[5] She married James Westbrook.
Westbrook was a theatre organist in Chicago. She also played with the Chicago Opera Company under Bruno Walter,[6] as an organ soloist with Chicago Symphony, and on a WGN radio program for CBS which used her compositions "Dusk at Friendship Lake" and "Retrospection" as the program's theme songs. She was the music director at Central Church in Chicago.[7]
Westbrook was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)[8] and the Chicago Club of Women Organists. She helped manage the club's "Florence B. Price Organ Composition Contest" in 1954.[9]
Through Replica Records, Westbrook released at least one 33 rpm recording ("Helen's Holiday"), as well as three 45 rpm recordings with Cecil Roy and Betty Barrie: 1) Buddy's Butterfly 2) The Thistle/Buddy's Garden 3) Christmas Eve/Plasco Toys.[10]
Compositions
Westbrook's compositions include:[11]
Organ
- Andante Religioso
- Chanson Triste
- Concert Piece in D
- Dusk at Friendship Lake, used as the theme song to her radio program.
- Here Comes Santa Claus
- Intermezzo
- Laughing Sprites
- Lento[12]
- Melodie
- Menuett in Olden Style
- On the Ontonagon River
- Pastorale Scherzo[13]
- Poem for Autumn
- Retrospection,[14] used as the theme song to her radio program.[15]
- Waltz Circe
Vocal
- Alabaster
- Christ My Refuge (text by Mary Baker Eddy)[16]
- Hindu Cradle Song
- If You Call Me
- Invincible (text by Sarojini Naidu)[17]
- Magnificat (text by Helene Grossenbacher)
- March Beside Him, Lord
- Music I Heard With You (text by Conrad Aiken)[18]
- Six Indian Songs
- Solace (text by Josephine Hancock Logan)
- Wedding Prayer (text by Curt A. Mundstock)
References
- ^ Stern, Susan, 1953- (1978). Women composers : a handbook. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-1138-3. OCLC 3844725.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Hennessee, Don A. (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
- ^ Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society. American Theatre Organ Society. 1983.
- ^ Anderson, Ruth, 1928-2019. (1976). Contemporary American composers : a biographical dictionary. Boston: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-1117-0. OCLC 2035024.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International encyclopedia of women composers (Second edition, revised and enlarged ed.). New York. ISBN 0-9617485-2-4. OCLC 16714846.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Gruenstein, Siegfried Emanuel (1945). The Diapason. Scranton Gillette Communications, Incorporated.
- ^ "Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society". journals.shareok.org. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ McNamara, Daniel Ignatius (1948). The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers. T. Y. Crowell Company.
- ^ The Music Magazine/Musical Courier. 1953.
- ^ "Helen Westbrook". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ Stewart-Green, Miriam. (1980). Women composers : a checklist of works for the solo voice. Boston, Mass.: G. K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-8498-4. OCLC 6815939.
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1942.
- ^ Music Clubs Magazine: Official Organ. The Federation. 1958.
- ^ Buhrman, Thomas Scott (1948). American Organist. American Guild of Organists.
- ^ "Neil A. Kjos Music Co, For the Organ" (PDF). The Diapason. 35 (9): 2. August 1, 1944.
- ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1956). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
- ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1970). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
- ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1955). Catalog of Copyright Entries. U.S. Government Printing Office.
External links
- Helen Searles Westbrook discography at Discogs
- Chikago Women Organists / Guests of Helen Westbrook The Diapason, 1 January 1945, p. 7