Helen Hopekirk Born 20 May1856 Edinburgh - Died 19 November1945 Cambridge, Massachusetts
She initially studied music in Edinburgh under George Lichtenstein and Alexander Mackenzie where she proved to be a very fine pianist and a promising composer. Her father determined that she should further her studies in Leipzig (1876-78) under Carl Reinecke and Solomon Jadassohn. This is where she met George Chadwick who was a fellow student. In 1882 she married a Scottish music critic, William Wilson, who later became her manager. They went to the USA in 1883 where she toured as a pianist. She returned to Europe in 1887 and spent five years principally in Vienna having further studies under Theodor Leschetizky. In 1892 She and her husband moved to Paris where she taught, gave concerts and continued to compose. Following her husbands bad accident in 1897, Chadwick invited her to The New England Conservatory. She settled in The USA remaining there until her death.
Orchestral
Piano concerto in D major 1900
Concertino in D minor 1894
Rhapsody for piano and orchestra
Pastorale 1899
Legende 1910
Chamber
Sonata for violin and piano in E minor 1892
Sonata for violin and piano in D 1893
Romance for violin and piano 1919 pub. by Boston Music Co.
Melody for violin and piano in G pub. by O Ditson & Co. Boston
Romance for cello and piano
Piano solo
Bourree pub. by Cary
Gavotte in B minor 1884 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Iona Memories - Four pieces: 1.Wandering, 2.Cronan-a hushing Song, 3.In The Ruins, 4.A Twilight Tale pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Lento and Allegro pub. by Cary
The Norland Eve pub. by Boston Music Co.
Reveil- Fantasie pub. by Cary
Prelude, Reverie and Dance 1915 pub. by G Schirmer & Co
Robin Good-fellow pub. by Boston Music Co.
Romance 1885 pub. by Pond
Serenade for piano pub. by Paterson & Sons, London
Serenata - suite 1905 pub. by Boston Music Co.
Shadows and Brocade 1924 pub. by Boston Music Co.
Suite for piano 1917 pub. by Boston Music Co.
Sundown 1909 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Tone Pictures
Five Portraits for the piano pub. by Boston Music Co.
Five Scottish folk songs transcribed for piano pub. by Boston Music Co.
Songs
Blows the Wind Today words by R L Stevenson pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Bonnie wee thing words by R Burns 1897 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Das meer hat seine perlen words by Heinrich Heine
Eilidh, my Fawn words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Es war ein alter Konig words by Heinrich Heine
From the Hills of Dream words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Highland Baloo words by R Burns pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Hushing song words by Fiona Macleod 1905 pub. by G Schirmer & Co
Jackie's ta'en the parting kiss words by R Burns 1897 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
A Lament words by G S Craig pub. by O Ditson & Co.
The Minuet words by M M Dodge 1907 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Mo-lennav-a-chree words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
My Lady of Sleep 1885 pub. by Pond
My Heart is in the Highlands pub. by Thompson
O can ye sew cushions ? words by R Burns pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Oh bonny Birdeen words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Out over the Forth
O, whistle and I'll come to you, my lad words by R Burns 1897 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Put thine arms about my neck words by V R G1899 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Requiescat text by Matthew Arnold
Sigh, my lute words by L Nova 1880
Sweet, my Babe words by E McAdam 1899 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
Reconciliation words by Walt Whitman 1915
St. Bride's lullaby words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
The Bandruidh, song of Spring words by Fiona Macleod 1904 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
The Bird of Christ words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Sag'ich liess' sie grussen words by Heinrich Heine
The sea hath its pearls text by Longfellow after Heinrich Heine
The Song of Glen Dun words by M O'Neill 1907 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
The Lonely Hunter words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
The voice of the Mountains words by B Richie pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
There was an ancient monarch text after Heinrich Heine
Thy dark eyes to mine words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Under the still white stars - with violin obligato words by R M Wheeler 1899 pub. by O Ditson & Co.
When the dew is falling words by Fiona Macleod pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Slumber song for 4 part chorus of women's voices 1925 pub. by G Schirmer & Co.
Two sacred songs - 1. The Lord is my Shepherd, 2. God is a spirit. 1917 pub. by Boston Music Co.
Sacred song - I will lift up mine eyes. 1919 pub. by Boston Music Co.
There are over 100 songs including many Scottish folk songs.
George Whitfield Chadwick 1854-1931
She was also an editor, the Library of Congress having scanned in one of her arrangements/editions of one of Johann Schobert's works for Prohaska's Elite Edition in New York (see here (http://imslp.org/wiki/3_Symphonies,_Op.10_(Schobert,_Johann))...)
A similar biog. note appears at Arizona Archives Online, which holds some 250 of her letters and other items:
Helen Hopekirk (May 20, 1856-November 19, 1945) was a concert pianist, composer and teacher who was born in Scotland. She studied with many well-known artists, including Karl Muck, who later conducted the Boston Symphony, as well as American composer George Whitefield Chadwick. In 1882 Hopekirk married William A. Wilson, who became her manager. Hopekirk traveled throughout Europe, and made her American debut in 1883 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. One of Hopekirk's most notable works is her edition of Seventy Scottish Songs (1905), which reflects her interest in folk material. She became an American citizen in 1918, and made her last public appearance in 1939 in Boston.
The "Women of Note: website - http://oboeclassics.com/~oboe3583/ambache/wHopekirk.htm - has an interesting entry for her, footnoted with:
I am indebted to Dana Muller for the information, quotations and musical illustration. They come from her dissertation "Helen Hopekirk (1856-1945): Pianist, Composer, Pedagogue: A Biographical study; A Thematic Catalogue of her works for Piano; A Critical Edition of her Concertstuck in D minor for Piano and Orchestra." published as a Doctor of Musical Arts essay at the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford, in May 1995.
There's a charming performance of her short piano work "Sundown" on YT at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrEIp3tUO28
On that basis, I'd love to hear her orchestral work - and especially her piano concerto! :)
See: http://copac.ac.uk/search?author=Hopekirk%2C%20Helen&sort-order=ti%2C-date&rn=10 (http://copac.ac.uk/search?author=Hopekirk%2C%20Helen&sort-order=ti%2C-date&rn=10)
Also: http://www.ambache.co.uk/wHopekirk.htm (http://www.ambache.co.uk/wHopekirk.htm)
Just a small bonus for Semloh, he wanted to hear her piano concerto, the good news is that it has been recorded and is due for release later this year. No questions please!
Not a question but I'll allow myself a gentle "yehhh" if that's ok and inwardly hope the Concertino and Rhapsody are there as well.
I've only seen those small-scale items and arrangements of hers at IMSLP (a few others of which are also on YouTube, I think), but I'm really curious about the concerto... and about Constance Hall's book? monograph? thesis? about her from 1954.
I see that the Library of Congress has in its catalog some autographs and "Helen Hopekirk papers, 1885-1894." with 17 items, and that a recording of songs did include one of hers so that she is not entirely, anyway, commercially unrecorded (I should look into that, too, at some point...)
Also: Helen Hopekirk Papers at U Arizona, 1880 to 1945, description page (http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/collections/papers-helen-hopekirk) (not, alas, one of those detailed finding aids I enjoy browsing with lists on lists of manuscripts.)
This is indeed excellent news and long overdue. This work has one of the great concerto openings.
No easing you in with an orchestral intro, the piano is straight in there from the opening bar with a bang.
Hopefully, the pianist who recorded this is up to the task.
Thal
there're good reasons for that orchestral tutti that have nothing to do with easing a restless audience in and a lot to do with structure and interesting questions about "concerto", but- erm. :)
Thanks, Giles. Yes, good news indeed. :)
The Hopekirk Fantasiestuck (is this the Rhapsody?), Chaminade Concertino and Beach Concerto project for the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto series will go into the studio this coming August. Danny Driver is the pianist, with Rebecca Miller conducting the BBC Scottish symphony. Info from the conductor's website...
David