CHAPTER EVENT FOR MARCH 2001:LECTURE-RECITAL: MUSIC BY AMERICAN WOMEN COMPOSERS BY ADEL HEINRICH

 

Based on Adel Heinrich's book entitled Organ and Harpsichord Music by Women Composers (Greenwood Press, 1991,) this program will be presented at The Church of the Covenant and performed by the Covenant Choir, Todd Wilson, Organist/Director of Music; guest organists Margaret Limkemann, Tim Robson, Nicole Keller, and Carol Neff; Nanette Canfield, soprano; Michael Perry, bass, and Gene Karlen, tenor. Sunday, March 4, 2001, at 4:00 PM.

Dr. Heinrich's book was selected as one of the top twenty books most valuable for the church musician in the August 1999 issue of The American Organist. The overall contents of this book are best described in two of the original reviews:

"Dr. Heinrich's painstaking and exhaustive research has resulted in a book that will grow in popularity as it becomes known. It is not only vastly informative, it is timely. The contributions of women in the music profession are receiving more and deserved attention, and this wonderful resource work can only enhance the effort. There are many interesting discoveries to be made even when casually perusing the book, and many persons will find intriguing new repertoire suggestions and facts never before published." --Frederick Swann

"Timely in topic, well-researched, thoroughly and practically indexed, this book is bound to be mind-expanding to those who use it. There is much more within its covers than is actually suggested by the title--choral directors and church musicians will find it a must for inclusion of solo vocal and choral works with organ or harpsichord accompaniment. A music planner's delight!" --Dr. Max Miller

Over 950 women are included in this book, from over 40 countries. Most of the women have been referred to and studied in other resource material. Most are well-educated, many have held significant positions and received numerous commissions for new works, and a few have earned sufficient remuneration for commissions so that they can devote full time to composition. Many musicians received honorary doctorate degrees, and one was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Three of the composers are referred to as "The Three B's" of women composers: Mrs. H.H.A. Beach, Roberta Bitgood, and Edith Borroff. All three will be included in this program, plus Emma Lou Diemer, Jennifer Conner, Pamela Decker, Marga Richter, and Berta and Sonja Poorman. Edith Borroff has received over 80 commissions. Publishers have brochures of individual's compositions, including many works for orchestra. A table display of published books and music by and about women composers will be on view at The Church of the Covenant.

Adel Heinrich, a native Clevelander, received her B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum lauda, received the Clemens Award in Music and Ranney Scholarship. While a student, she played for services in most of the larger churches in the area and performed on the organ at Severance Hall for her commencement exercises, at which event George Szell received an honorary doctorate degree. She received her A. Mus. D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, performing seven recitals, plus a motivic analysis of BachÍs Art of Fugue in her dissertation, entitled Bach's Art of Fugue: A Living Compendium of Fugal Procedures (University Press of America, 1983.) As a result of this dissertation, she presented ten recitals on the organ of this entire work, including at Bowdoin College (with lecture in counterpoint class,) Brown University, for the American Musicological Society in Vancouver, B.C. and has had three articles published in Bach, the Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Instutute in Berea, including her original composed conclusion to the Quadruple Fugue, which was premiered in her recital of the complete Art of Fugue for the Institute.

She was asked to serve on the National Screening Committee for the selection of Fulbright Scholars in organ and harpsichord in NYC and is Professor of Music Emeritus from Colby College in Maine, where for 24 years she taught several classes in music, private organ and harpsichord students and was Director of Music in Lorimer Chapel, which had an organ designed by Albert Schweitzer. She had numerous grants to Europe, Harvard University, numerous performances of her own music; performed throughout New England and elsewhere; and gave three recitals in the Portland Symphony Hall. She is presently devoting full time to writing and creativity.