Composer Gena Branscombe
Biography of Canadian Choral Conductor and Notes on Her Music
Canadian composer-conductor Gena Branscombe was born in Picton, Ontario, on November 4, 1881, and died in New York City on July 26, 1977. Her early musical studies were with Rudolf Ganz for piano and composition with Felix Borowski, Alexander von Fielitz and later Engelbert Humperdinck in Berlin. Gena received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Chicago in 1900 and was later awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree from Whitman College Conservatory in 1932. She was a teacher at Whitman College Conservatory in Washington, D.C. and the Chicago Musical College.
The Branscombe Choral Society was formed by her in New York City in 1933 and was a regular performing group for 21 years. Age did not stop this vital and productive woman, who, in 1973 at the age of 92 had her composition "Introit, Prayer Response and Amen," performed at the Riverside Church in New York City, which commissioned the work.
Her compositions were published in Canada and the United States, were performed in both countries and include many choral and orchestral works. In 1930 she conducted the premiere of her "Quebec Suite," with the Chicago Women's Symphony Orchestra. A very ambitious choral drama, "Pilgrims of Destiny," was the recipient of the 1928 League of of American Penwomen annual prize for the finest composition by a woman.
During the 1930's and 1940's she was often sought after as a guest conductor of her compositions in Canada, the United States and even England. In that same time she conducted several choirs in the state of New Jersey, keeping up a hectic schedule. In 1950 she took on the position of director and vice-president of the National Association of American Composers and Conductors.
Vocal Compositions by Branscombe were probably the best known of her works, although she also composed many pieces for the piano, and for piano and violin. Some of her best work was done in the area of short choral works for women's voices, many of which were set to her own words. And while Gena Branscombe lived a very busy life in her chosen field, she found time to marry John Ferguson Tenney and give birth to two daughters.
Englebert Humperdinck was her composition teacher in Berlin and she often laughed when telling people about her adventures in Berlin. "Humperdinck spoke minimal English and I hardly did as well in German, so our lessons were really interesting..." But whether she understood the language or not, she certainly understood the art of composition, and has left us many great musical creations that are now being looked at with new eyes.
For further information about Canadians in classical music see: Dramatic Soprano Gerda Nielsen, and Canadian Pianist Andreas Thiel.
Source
Personal Conversations with Gena Branscombe In New York City in the 1970's.
Composer Gena Branscombe
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