Miriam Hyde
Encyclopedia
Miriam Beatrice Hyde AO, OBE (15 January 1913–11 January 2005) was an Australian composer
, pianist
, poet
and music educator.
She composed over 150 works for piano, songs and other instrumental and orchestral works and performed as a concert pianist with eminent conductors including Sir Malcolm Sargent
, Sir Bernard Heinze
and Geoffrey Simon
. She also had books of poetry published, and wrote an autobiography.
. Music was an important part of her family life: her mother, Muriel, played and taught piano; her aunt, Clarice Gmeiner, played violin, viola and harp with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra
; and her younger sister, Pauline, played violin and sang. Her early music lessons were provided by her mother, but in 1925 she won a scholarship to attend the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree in 1931, she won an Elder Scholarship to the Royal College of Music
in London
which she attended from 1932 to 1936. She won several composition prizes while at the College. However, during this time she also suffered a nervous collapse, and her mother went to England to be with her.
Hyde gave her first recital at Holland Park
in 1933, while studying in London, and in 1934 her Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat minor was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
. It was conducted by Leslie Heward
and Miriam Hyde performed the solo part herself. She saw many of the great musicians of the time, including Rachmaninoff
, Stravinsky
, Prokofiev
, Yehudi Menuhin
and Elisabeth Schumann
.
She returned to Adelaide in 1936, and soon after moved to Sydney
where she worked for several decades as a composer, recitalist, teacher, examiner and lecturer. It was here that she also met her husband, Marcus Edwards, with whom she had two children, Christine Carolyn (1950) and Robert (1952).
In 1981 she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
(OBE) and in 1991 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
(AO). She was awarded an honorary doctorate by Macquarie University
in 1993, and in 2004 she received an award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music at the Australian Performing Rights Association and Australian Music Centre
Classical Music Awards.
She was appointed Patron of the Music Teachers' Association of South Australia (MTASA) and established the Miriam Hyde Award for the Association.
Her 90th birthday was celebrated with concerts and broadcasts throughout Australia.
Miriam Hyde died in 2005, just a few days before her 92nd birthday.
One of her best known pieces is the piano solo Valley of Rocks.
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...
, pianist
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:...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and music educator.
She composed over 150 works for piano, songs and other instrumental and orchestral works and performed as a concert pianist with eminent conductors including Sir Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
, Sir Bernard Heinze
Bernard Heinze
Sir Bernard Thomas Heinze, AC was an Australian Professor of Music, conductor, and Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music....
and Geoffrey Simon
Geoffrey Simon
Geoffrey Simon is an Australian conductor resident in London.-Recordings:Geoffrey Simon was born on 3 July 1946 in Adelaide. He was a student of Herbert von Karajan, Rudolf Kempe, Hans Swarowsky and Igor Markevitch, and a major prize-winner at the first John Player International Conductors' Award...
. She also had books of poetry published, and wrote an autobiography.
Life
Hyde was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. Music was an important part of her family life: her mother, Muriel, played and taught piano; her aunt, Clarice Gmeiner, played violin, viola and harp with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra was founded as a 17 player radio ensemble in 1936, in Adelaide, South Australia. The orchestra reformed in 1949 as the 55 member South Australian Symphony Orchestra. It reverted to its original and present title, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, in late 1974, and...
; and her younger sister, Pauline, played violin and sang. Her early music lessons were provided by her mother, but in 1925 she won a scholarship to attend the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree in 1931, she won an Elder Scholarship to the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
which she attended from 1932 to 1936. She won several composition prizes while at the College. However, during this time she also suffered a nervous collapse, and her mother went to England to be with her.
Hyde gave her first recital at Holland Park
Holland Park
Holland Park is a district and a public park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in west central London, England.Holland Park has a reputation as an affluent and fashionable area, known for attractive large Victorian townhouses, and high-class shopping and restaurants...
in 1933, while studying in London, and in 1934 her Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat minor was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
. It was conducted by Leslie Heward
Leslie Heward
Leslie Heward was an English composer and conductor.He was particularly associated with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Halle....
and Miriam Hyde performed the solo part herself. She saw many of the great musicians of the time, including Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
, Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
, Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
and Elisabeth Schumann
Elisabeth Schumann
Elisabeth Schumann was a German lyric soprano who sang in opera, operetta, oratorio, and lieder. She left a substantial legacy of recordings.-Career:...
.
She returned to Adelaide in 1936, and soon after moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where she worked for several decades as a composer, recitalist, teacher, examiner and lecturer. It was here that she also met her husband, Marcus Edwards, with whom she had two children, Christine Carolyn (1950) and Robert (1952).
In 1981 she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) and in 1991 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AO). She was awarded an honorary doctorate by Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
in 1993, and in 2004 she received an award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music at the Australian Performing Rights Association and Australian Music Centre
Australian Music Centre
The Australian Music Centre fosters the development of an Australian music community by providing specialist support to its membership of performers, composers, sound artists, educators, students, and music specialists across Australia and throughout the world.The AMC is the Australian national...
Classical Music Awards.
She was appointed Patron of the Music Teachers' Association of South Australia (MTASA) and established the Miriam Hyde Award for the Association.
Her 90th birthday was celebrated with concerts and broadcasts throughout Australia.
Miriam Hyde died in 2005, just a few days before her 92nd birthday.
Music
Miriam Hyde's compositions include works for orchestra, piano concertos, chamber music, many piano solos, flute solos and more. She wrote in an early 20th-century pastoral style, achieving a highly effective combination of impressionism with post-romanticism.One of her best known pieces is the piano solo Valley of Rocks.