Clara Edwards (composer)
Encyclopedia
Clara Edwards was an American singer, pianist
, and composer
of art songs. She also used the pseudonym
Bernard Haigh.
. She received her education from the Mankato State Normal School and the Cosmopolitan School of Music in Chicago
. She married physician John Milton Edwards before finishing her degree, and the couple moved to Vienna
, where she continued musical studies and had a daughter. In Europe
she prepared for a career as a singer, and gave concerts in both the United State and Europe before moving to New York City
in 1914. Two years later her husband died, leaving her a single mother in New York city with no steady income.
Out of financial necessity, Edwards began her career as a composer and songwriter in the 1920s, joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1925. She toured in Vaudeville
at about the same time, and organized the Chautauqua
Concert Company in 1934. She often collaborated with Jack Lawrence
, but also wrote many of the lyrics to her own songs.
Her songs were "quickly taken up by publishers", and many famous singers performed them, including soprano Lily Pons
and baritones John Charles Thomas
and Ezio Pinza
. They also became more successful when performed on the popular radio show The Telephone Hour. They are "distinguished for their tasteful and truly lovely melodies" and considered some of the "best of the ballad style concert song[s]". They "successfully blended the styles of art song
and the sentimental popular ballad".
Perhaps her most successful song was "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair", with text by Jack Lawrence
. First published in 1930, it became a hit a decade later. Two of her other well-known songs are "By the Bend of the River
" and "Into the Night"; the latter is frequently used by voice teacher
s as a training piece, and is included in several song anthologies.
unless noted
unless noted
unless noted
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of art songs. She also used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Bernard Haigh.
Biography
She was born Clara Gerlich in Mankato, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. She received her education from the Mankato State Normal School and the Cosmopolitan School of Music in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She married physician John Milton Edwards before finishing her degree, and the couple moved to Vienna
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...
, where she continued musical studies and had a daughter. In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
she prepared for a career as a singer, and gave concerts in both the United State and Europe before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1914. Two years later her husband died, leaving her a single mother in New York city with no steady income.
Out of financial necessity, Edwards began her career as a composer and songwriter in the 1920s, joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1925. She toured in Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
at about the same time, and organized the Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
Concert Company in 1934. She often collaborated with Jack Lawrence
Jack Lawrence
Jack Lawrence was an American songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975.- Biography :...
, but also wrote many of the lyrics to her own songs.
Music
Edwards composed over 100 works and published over 60 songs. Several of her songs are sacred, and she wrote choral arrangments for some of them. She also composed music for solo piano, for children's marionette plays and animated films. Her songs have been recorded and issued on CD and used in film soundtracks and animations.Her songs were "quickly taken up by publishers", and many famous singers performed them, including soprano Lily Pons
Lily Pons
Lily Pons was a French-American operatic soprano and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. As an opera singer she specialized in the coloratura soprano repertoire and was particularly associated with the title roles in Léo Delibes' Lakmé and Gaetano...
and baritones John Charles Thomas
John Charles Thomas
John Charles Thomas was a popular American opera, operetta and concert baritone.-Birth, schooling and stage debut:...
and Ezio Pinza
Ezio Pinza
Ezio Pinza was an Italian basso opera singer with a rich, smooth and sonorous voice. He spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of 50 operas...
. They also became more successful when performed on the popular radio show The Telephone Hour. They are "distinguished for their tasteful and truly lovely melodies" and considered some of the "best of the ballad style concert song[s]". They "successfully blended the styles of art song
Art song
An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano or orchestral accompaniment. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the genre of such songs....
and the sentimental popular ballad".
Perhaps her most successful song was "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair", with text by Jack Lawrence
Jack Lawrence
Jack Lawrence was an American songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975.- Biography :...
. First published in 1930, it became a hit a decade later. Two of her other well-known songs are "By the Bend of the River
By the Bend of the River
"By the Bend of the River", also known as "By the Bend in the River", is a song by Clara Edwards. Published in 1927, it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1930 feature film Symphony in Two Flats starring Ivor Novello. Operatic soprano Grace Moore recorded the song in 1934, and Etta Jones...
" and "Into the Night"; the latter is frequently used by voice teacher
Voice teacher
A voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who trains adults and children in the art of singing. This generally involves training in breath control and support, proper tone production, pitch control and musical intonation, proper formation of vowels and consonants as well as...
s as a training piece, and is included in several song anthologies.
Published songs
published by G. SchirmerG. Schirmer
G. Schirmer Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. It publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-known European music publishers in North America, such as the Italian Ricordi, Music Sales Affiliates ChesterNovello,...
unless noted
- After (A Song of Contrasts), 1927
- All Thine Own, Carl FischerCarl Fischer MusicCarl Fischer Music is a major publisher of sheet music based in New York City that has been in business since 1872. As one of the few remaining family-owned music publishers, it supplies educational materials to professional and beginning musicians of all ages, as well as new music works.Notable...
, 1935 - At Twilight, 1944
- At Your Window, 1951
- Awake! Arise! (a Song for Easter), Oliver Ditson, 1927
- Awake, Beloved!, 1925
- A Benediction, 1927
- Birds (text by Moira O'Neill), 1958
- Bring Back the Days, Oliver Ditson, 1945
- By the Bend of the RiverBy the Bend of the River"By the Bend of the River", also known as "By the Bend in the River", is a song by Clara Edwards. Published in 1927, it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1930 feature film Symphony in Two Flats starring Ivor Novello. Operatic soprano Grace Moore recorded the song in 1934, and Etta Jones...
, 1927 - Can this be Summer? (A Song of Longing), 1926
- Clementine, 1927
- Come, Love, the Long Day Closes (A Song of Devotion), 1928
- Cradle Song
- The Day's Begun, 1930
- Dedication (Sacred Song), 1961
- Dusk at Sea (text by Thomas S. Jones), Jack Mills Inc., 1923
- The Eastern Heavens are all aglow (Christmas Song), 1927
- Evening Song, 1934
- Every One Sang (A song of exultation) (text by S. Sassoon), 1921
- Fear Ye Not, O Israel (Sacred Song), 1942
- The Fisher's Widow (text by Arthur SymonsArthur SymonsArthur William Symons , was a British poet, critic and magazine editor.-Life:Born in Milford Haven, Wales, of Cornish parents, Symons was educated privately, spending much of his time in France and Italy...
), 1929 - Forward We March, Galaxy Music Corp., 1940
- Gipsy Life, 1932
- I Bring you lilies from my Garden, Oliver DitsonOliver DitsonOliver Ditson was an American businessman and founder of Oliver Ditson and Company, one of the major music publishing houses of the late 19th century. Ditson began his business with Samuel H...
, 1927 - I Dream of You, 1952
- In the Moonlight, 1951
- Into the Night (text by the composer), 1939
- I've Lived and Loved, Unknown publisher, 1941
- Joy (text by T. Hollingsworth), 1943
- Lady Noon (text by Thekla Hollingsworth), Oliver DitsonOliver DitsonOliver Ditson was an American businessman and founder of Oliver Ditson and Company, one of the major music publishing houses of the late 19th century. Ditson began his business with Samuel H...
, 1927 - Little Shepherd's Song (13th Century melody) (text by William Alexander Percy), Jack Mills Inc., 1952
- Lonesome (text by N. R. Eberhart), 1926
- The Lord is Exalted (Sacred), 1940
- Love Came to Me
- A Love Song, Oliver DitsonOliver DitsonOliver Ditson was an American businessman and founder of Oliver Ditson and Company, one of the major music publishing houses of the late 19th century. Ditson began his business with Samuel H...
, 1945 - Morning Serenade (A Reveille) (text by Madison Julius Cawein), 1928
- My Homeland, 1934
- My Little Brown Nest by the Sea (text by T. Hollingsworth), Jack Mills Inc., 1923
- My Shrine (Wedding Song), 1948
- O Come to Me
- O Magic Night of Love, 1927
- Ol' Jim, 1952
- Out of the Dusk (A Reverie), 1927
- A Prayer (Sacred), 1932
- The Snow, 1962
- Sometimes at Close of Day (A Pensive Song), 1925
- Song of my Soul
- Song of the Brooklet (text by V. McDonald), 1932
- Spain (España), 1929
- Stars of the Night, Sing Softly (text by T. Hollingsworth), 1929
- 'Tis Enough (text by Kenneth Rand), Jack Mills Inc., 1923
- To a Little Child, 1954
- To Stars and You
- To Thee, Divine Reedemer, 1948
- The Twenty-Seventh Psalm (The Lord is My Light), 1938
- We Walked in the Garden, 1939
- When I am Gone, Beloved
- When I Behold, 1929
- When Jesus Walked on Galilee (Sacred), 1928
- When the Sun Calls the Lark, Oliver Ditson, 1929
- When You Stand by your Window, 1944
- The Wild Rose Blooms, 1940
- With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair (text by Jack LawrenceJack LawrenceJack Lawrence was an American songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975.- Biography :...
), 1930, reissued Paramount Music Corp., 1940 - A Yesterday
- Your Picture, Chappell Music, 1952
Published piano solos
published by G. SchirmerG. Schirmer
G. Schirmer Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. It publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-known European music publishers in North America, such as the Italian Ricordi, Music Sales Affiliates ChesterNovello,...
unless noted
- By the Bend of the RiverBy the Bend of the River"By the Bend of the River", also known as "By the Bend in the River", is a song by Clara Edwards. Published in 1927, it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1930 feature film Symphony in Two Flats starring Ivor Novello. Operatic soprano Grace Moore recorded the song in 1934, and Etta Jones...
(Barcarolle), arr. by Carl Deis - Cloud Ways
- Nodding Flowers
- The Rocking Chair
- The Swing
- The Waves
Published choral arrangements
published by G. SchirmerG. Schirmer
G. Schirmer Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. It publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-known European music publishers in North America, such as the Italian Ricordi, Music Sales Affiliates ChesterNovello,...
unless noted
- Awake! Arise! (Easter Anthem) (arr. by William Stickles), mixed voices, 1958
- By the Bend of the RiverBy the Bend of the River"By the Bend of the River", also known as "By the Bend in the River", is a song by Clara Edwards. Published in 1927, it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1930 feature film Symphony in Two Flats starring Ivor Novello. Operatic soprano Grace Moore recorded the song in 1934, and Etta Jones...
, multiple arrangements - Clementine, women's voices
- Come, Love, the Long Day Closes, men's voices
- Dedication (text by John Oxenham), mixed voices, 1960
- The Eastern Heaves are all Aglow (arr. by William Stickles), mixed voices, 1962
- The Herder's Song, women's voices, 1946
- Into the Night, multiple arrangements
- I Will Lift Mine Eyes, mixed voices
- The Lord is My Light, mixed voices, 1940
- A Prayer, mixed voiced
- Sometimes at Close of Day, men's voices
- A Song of Joy, women's voices
- Song of the Brooklet, women's voices
- The Twenty-Seventh Psalm, mixed voices
- When I Behold, mixed voices
- When Jesus Walked on Galilee (arr. Carl Deis), mixed voices, 1951