Clara Clemens
Encyclopedia
Clara Langhorne Clemens Samossoud, formerly Clara Langhorne Clemens Gabrilowitsch (June 8, 1874 – November 19, 1962), was the daughter of Samuel Clemens, who wrote as Mark Twain
. She was a contralto
concert singer and, as her father's only surviving daughter, managed his estate and guarded his legacy after his death.
She was married twice. First to Ossip Gabrilowitsch
, and then after his death, she remarried to Jacques Samossoud. She wrote biographies of Gabrilowitsch and of her father. In her later life she became a Christian Scientist.
. She was born and grew up in Elmira, New York
.
Her older sister was Susy
, who died when Clara was only 22. Her only brother, Langdon, died as an infant before she was born. Her younger sister was Jean
. Clara had a serious accident as a child. She was riding a toboggan
which ended up being hurled into a great oak tree. She was the only one hurt, although her leg injury was severe. The next day it was thought she might have to have her leg amputated, although this was avoided.
She spent the period from September 1897 to May 1899 living in Vienna
with her parents. While there, notice was taken of her cultivating her voice for the purpose of going on the concert stage. Her voice was characterized as unusually sweet and attractive. She also studied piano in 1899 under Teodor Leszetycki
. In December 1900, she was invited by the people of Hartford, her home town, to perform in February 1901 at a grand concert to be given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra
in the hopes that she would begin her singing career where she grew up. On May 10, 1905 she underwent a successful operation for appendicitis by Dr. Hartley in New York City. She studied for several years under masters in Europe, before making her professional debut in Florence
. She made her American debut as a contralto concert singer on the evening of September 22, 1906 at the Norfolk Gymnasium in Norfolk, Connecticut
where in 1905 she rented Edgewood, a summer cottage. She was assisted in Norfolk by young Boston violinist Marie Nichols. She used the proceeds from the concert to purchase a memorial window for her mother in the Norfolk Church of the Transfiguration, Episcopal. Clemens' piano accompanist was Charles Edmund "Will" Wark, a classical pianist originally from Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. Wark was Clara Clemens' accompanist from the winter of 1906 to late in 1908. Clemens and Nichols continued to perform together including a series of concerts in London and Paris in 1908. On May 30, Clemens debuted in London at a benefit concert for to aid American girls to attend Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
, Clemens went for a sleigh ride with Russian concert pianist Ossip Gabrilowitsch
who was staying with her father at his residence, Innocence at Home, in Redding
. While passing through Redding Glen, the horse took fright at a wind-whipped newspaper and bolted with driver Gabrilowitsch losing control. At the top of a hill, next to a 60 feet (18.3 m) drop, the sleigh overturned, throwing Clemens out. Gabrilowitsch leaped to the ground and caught the horse by the head, stopping it as it was about to plunge over the bank, dragging Clemens with her dress caught in a runner. Having only sprained his right ankle, Gabrilowitsch returned Clemens to home, unharmed except for the shock of the accident. Twain biographer Michael Shelden doubted the truth of this heroic tale and supplied a motive for why the story might have been planted in the press, namely, to quiet rumors that Clara was having an affair with her former accompanist, a married man.
Clemens had been introduced to Gabrilowitsch in 1899 in Vienna by Theodor Leschetizky who was also training Gabrilowitsch. At noon on October 6, 1909, she subsequently married Gabrilowitsch in the drawing room at Stormfield, the Clemens home with Rev. Dr. Joseph H. Twitchell
presiding. (Twitchell was a great friend of her father.) Her father said that the engagement was not new, having been "made and dissolved twice six years ago." He also said that the marriage was sudden because Gabrilowitsch had just recovered from a surgical operation he had undergone in the summer and they were about to head off to their new house in Berlin where he would begin his European season. Her sister, Jean Clemens
, drowned in the bathtub on December 24, 1909 after having an epileptic seizure. On April 21, 1910, her father died and left his entire estate to her in a will dated August 17, 1909 which provided for quarterly payments of interest to keep it "free from any control or interference from any husband she may have." On July 9, she announced that she was giving practically the entire library of her father, comprising nearly 2,500 books, to the Mark Twain Free Library. On August 19, 1910, her only child, Nina, was born in Connecticut at Stormfield.
Nina, the last known lineal descendant of Mark Twain, died January 19, 1966 in a Los Angeles
hotel. She had been a heavy drinker, and bottles of pills and alcohol were found in her room.
On April 23, 1926, she played the title role in a dramatization of Joan of Arc
written by her father at Walter Hampden's
theater. This adaptation and her performance were not very well received by critics. It was again produced in 1927, opening on April 12 and for a series of special morning and afternoon performances at the Edyth Totten Theatre.
Gabrilowitsch was conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
from 1918 until 1935, when he fell ill. He entered the Henry Ford Hospital
on March 25, 1935, where he stayed until September 28, 1935, at which point he was released to his home to convalesce. He subsequently died at his home on September 14, 1936, aged 58.
On May 11, 1944, Clara and Jacques Samossoud, a Russian born symphony conductor 20 years her junior, were married in her Hollywood home. She died at age eighty-eight in San Diego, California
.
Clara explored eastern religions for a few years, and then eventually became a Christian Scientist, although there is some question as to her seriousness and commitment to it. She authored a book on the subject: Awake to a Perfect Day, published by Citadel Press, NYC, 1956 After originally objecting to the release of her father's Letters from the Earth
in 1939, she changed her stance shortly before her death in 1962 and allowed them to be published. She also published biographies of both her father (My Father, Mark Twain in 1931) and of her first husband (My Husband: Gabrilowitsch in 1938).
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
. She was a contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
concert singer and, as her father's only surviving daughter, managed his estate and guarded his legacy after his death.
She was married twice. First to Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Ossip Gabrilowitsch was a Russian-born American pianist, conductor and composer.- Biography :...
, and then after his death, she remarried to Jacques Samossoud. She wrote biographies of Gabrilowitsch and of her father. In her later life she became a Christian Scientist.
Childhood
Clara was the second of three daughters born to Samuel Clemens and his wife Olivia Langdon ClemensOlivia Langdon Clemens
Olivia Langdon Clemens was the wife of the famous American author, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain.-Early life:...
. She was born and grew up in Elmira, New York
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
.
Her older sister was Susy
Susy Clemens
Olivia Susan Clemens, usually known as Susy Clemens , was the second child and oldest daughter of Samuel Clemens, who wrote under the pen name Mark Twain, and his wife Olivia Langdon Clemens...
, who died when Clara was only 22. Her only brother, Langdon, died as an infant before she was born. Her younger sister was Jean
Jean Clemens
Jane Lampton Clemens, usually known as Jean Clemens, was the youngest of the three daughters of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, and his wife Olivia Langdon Clemens. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut...
. Clara had a serious accident as a child. She was riding a toboggan
Toboggan
A toboggan is a simple sled which is a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people down a hill or other slope for recreation. Designs vary from simple, traditional models to modern engineered composites...
which ended up being hurled into a great oak tree. She was the only one hurt, although her leg injury was severe. The next day it was thought she might have to have her leg amputated, although this was avoided.
Early career
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
with her parents. While there, notice was taken of her cultivating her voice for the purpose of going on the concert stage. Her voice was characterized as unusually sweet and attractive. She also studied piano in 1899 under Teodor Leszetycki
Teodor Leszetycki
Theodor Leschetizky was a Polish pianist, professor and composer.-Life:Theodor Leschetizky was born on the estate of the family of Count Potocki in Łańcut. His father was a gifted pianist and music teacher of Viennese birth. His mother Therèse Ulmann was a gifted singer of German origin...
. In December 1900, she was invited by the people of Hartford, her home town, to perform in February 1901 at a grand concert to be given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
in the hopes that she would begin her singing career where she grew up. On May 10, 1905 she underwent a successful operation for appendicitis by Dr. Hartley in New York City. She studied for several years under masters in Europe, before making her professional debut in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. She made her American debut as a contralto concert singer on the evening of September 22, 1906 at the Norfolk Gymnasium in Norfolk, Connecticut
Norfolk, Connecticut
Norfolk is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,660 at the 2000 census.Norfolk is perhaps best known as the site of the Yale Summer School of Music – Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, which hosts an annual chamber music concert series in "the Music Shed," a...
where in 1905 she rented Edgewood, a summer cottage. She was assisted in Norfolk by young Boston violinist Marie Nichols. She used the proceeds from the concert to purchase a memorial window for her mother in the Norfolk Church of the Transfiguration, Episcopal. Clemens' piano accompanist was Charles Edmund "Will" Wark, a classical pianist originally from Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. Wark was Clara Clemens' accompanist from the winter of 1906 to late in 1908. Clemens and Nichols continued to perform together including a series of concerts in London and Paris in 1908. On May 30, Clemens debuted in London at a benefit concert for to aid American girls to attend Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Accident and marriage
At 10:00am on December 20, 1908 in DanburyDanbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
, Clemens went for a sleigh ride with Russian concert pianist Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Ossip Gabrilowitsch was a Russian-born American pianist, conductor and composer.- Biography :...
who was staying with her father at his residence, Innocence at Home, in Redding
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
. While passing through Redding Glen, the horse took fright at a wind-whipped newspaper and bolted with driver Gabrilowitsch losing control. At the top of a hill, next to a 60 feet (18.3 m) drop, the sleigh overturned, throwing Clemens out. Gabrilowitsch leaped to the ground and caught the horse by the head, stopping it as it was about to plunge over the bank, dragging Clemens with her dress caught in a runner. Having only sprained his right ankle, Gabrilowitsch returned Clemens to home, unharmed except for the shock of the accident. Twain biographer Michael Shelden doubted the truth of this heroic tale and supplied a motive for why the story might have been planted in the press, namely, to quiet rumors that Clara was having an affair with her former accompanist, a married man.
Clemens had been introduced to Gabrilowitsch in 1899 in Vienna by Theodor Leschetizky who was also training Gabrilowitsch. At noon on October 6, 1909, she subsequently married Gabrilowitsch in the drawing room at Stormfield, the Clemens home with Rev. Dr. Joseph H. Twitchell
Twitchell
Twitchell is a surname, and may refer to* David and Ginger Twitchell, Christian Scientists who were tried for manslaughter in the death of their son, Robyn* Rev. Dr...
presiding. (Twitchell was a great friend of her father.) Her father said that the engagement was not new, having been "made and dissolved twice six years ago." He also said that the marriage was sudden because Gabrilowitsch had just recovered from a surgical operation he had undergone in the summer and they were about to head off to their new house in Berlin where he would begin his European season. Her sister, Jean Clemens
Jean Clemens
Jane Lampton Clemens, usually known as Jean Clemens, was the youngest of the three daughters of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, and his wife Olivia Langdon Clemens. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut...
, drowned in the bathtub on December 24, 1909 after having an epileptic seizure. On April 21, 1910, her father died and left his entire estate to her in a will dated August 17, 1909 which provided for quarterly payments of interest to keep it "free from any control or interference from any husband she may have." On July 9, she announced that she was giving practically the entire library of her father, comprising nearly 2,500 books, to the Mark Twain Free Library. On August 19, 1910, her only child, Nina, was born in Connecticut at Stormfield.
Nina, the last known lineal descendant of Mark Twain, died January 19, 1966 in a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
hotel. She had been a heavy drinker, and bottles of pills and alcohol were found in her room.
Later life
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
Mark Twain's work on Joan of Arc is titled in full, Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, by the Sieur Louis de Conte, who is identified further as Joan's page and secretary...
written by her father at Walter Hampden's
Walter Hampden
Walter Hampden is the artist name of Walter Hampden Dougherty was a U.S. actor and theatre manager. He was the younger brother of the American painter Paul Dougherty ....
theater. This adaptation and her performance were not very well received by critics. It was again produced in 1927, opening on April 12 and for a series of special morning and afternoon performances at the Edyth Totten Theatre.
Gabrilowitsch was conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
from 1918 until 1935, when he fell ill. He entered the Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital, the flagship facility for , is an 805-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex located in Detroit ....
on March 25, 1935, where he stayed until September 28, 1935, at which point he was released to his home to convalesce. He subsequently died at his home on September 14, 1936, aged 58.
On May 11, 1944, Clara and Jacques Samossoud, a Russian born symphony conductor 20 years her junior, were married in her Hollywood home. She died at age eighty-eight in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Clara explored eastern religions for a few years, and then eventually became a Christian Scientist, although there is some question as to her seriousness and commitment to it. She authored a book on the subject: Awake to a Perfect Day, published by Citadel Press, NYC, 1956 After originally objecting to the release of her father's Letters from the Earth
Letters from the Earth
Letters from the Earth is one of Mark Twain's posthumously published works. The essays were written during a difficult time in Twain's life; he was deep in debt and had lost his wife and one of his daughters...
in 1939, she changed her stance shortly before her death in 1962 and allowed them to be published. She also published biographies of both her father (My Father, Mark Twain in 1931) and of her first husband (My Husband: Gabrilowitsch in 1938).