Abbie Gerrish-Jones
Encyclopedia
Abbie Gerrish-Jones was an American
composer, librettist and music writer.
, and grew up in Sacramento
. She began playing piano and composing at an early age and studied with Charles Winter. Her opera Priscilla is considered the first complete opera with both libretto and score composed by an American woman. One of her compositions won the Josef Hoffmann prize for "best American piano work". She wrote for Pacific Town Talk, The Pacific Coast Musical Review and The Musical Courier, published in New York
. She died in Seattle, Washington
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer, librettist and music writer.
Life
Abbie Gerrish-Jones was born in Vallejo, CaliforniaVallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
, and grew up in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. She began playing piano and composing at an early age and studied with Charles Winter. Her opera Priscilla is considered the first complete opera with both libretto and score composed by an American woman. One of her compositions won the Josef Hoffmann prize for "best American piano work". She wrote for Pacific Town Talk, The Pacific Coast Musical Review and The Musical Courier, published in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She died in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Works
Gerrish-Jones was known for opera of an eerie quality and composed nine. She also wrote over 100 songs. Selected works include:- Priscilla (1887) opera
- Sakura, opera (with Gerta Weismer Hoffmann)
- The Snow Queen, music drama (with Gerta Weismer Hoffmann)
- If I were thou, song (Text: Elizabeth Barrett Browning)