Jump to content

Helen Roessing

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Helen Elizabeth Roessing Aiton (22 August 1891 - 27 May 1957) was an American composer of piano music[1] [2] whose composition won first prize at the Conservatoire Americain de Fountainebleau in France. She published her music under the name Helen Roessing.[3][4]

Roessing was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Laura Orr and George Roessing. She married Oliver Aiton in 1945.[4]

Roessing studied composition with Leo Sowerby at the Conservatoire Americain, where she won the Prix Tremaine First Prize in 1927 for her piano composition Au Fil de l’Eau Drifting.[3][5] She also studied with Louise Robyn at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.[6] In 1933 while presenting a recital in Pittsburgh, Marcel Dupre improvised on themes submitted by local composers, including one composed by Roessing.[7] In addition to composing, Roessing was the music director at the Ellis School for Girls and worked as an accompanist and organist at several Presbyterian churches.[8]

Roessing’s works were published by Durand et Cie[9] and J. Fischer & Bro.[5] She composed unspecified music for organ, as well as:

Piano

[edit]
  • Au Fil de l’Eau Drifting[5]
  • Pop-corn Balls[5]

Vocal

[edit]
  • “A Lullaby” (text by Margaret Townsend Scully)[11][12]
  • “Fashion” (text by Margaret Townsend Scully)[11][12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music (USA). p. 594. ISBN 978-0-9617485-0-0.
  2. ^ Stern, Susan (1978). Women composers: a handbook. Metuchen London: the Scarecrow press. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-8108-1138-6.
  3. ^ a b Leonard, Kendra Preston (2007). The Conservatoire américain: a history. Lanham (Md.): The Scarecrow Press. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-8108-5732-2.
  4. ^ a b Aiton, Helen Elizabeth Roessing. "Ancestry.com". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  5. ^ a b c d e Roessing, Helen. "Worldcat". worldcat.org. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  6. ^ Musical Forecast. Musicians' Club of Pittsburgh. 1927.
  7. ^ The New Music Review and Church Music Review. sole agents for Novello & Company. 1933.
  8. ^ Aiton, Helen Roessing (28 May 1957). "Obituaries". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. p. 17.
  9. ^ Stewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers: A checklist of works for the solo voice. A reference publication in women's studies. Boston, Mass: Hall. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-8161-8498-9.
  10. ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1974). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  11. ^ a b McLaughlin, Florence C. "Margaret Townsend Scully's Trunk". openpublishing.psu.edu. p. 167. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  12. ^ a b "White Rose of essex". Goodreads. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helen_Roessing&oldid=1230596230"