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Nellie von Gerichten Smith

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Nellie von Gerichten Smith (April 24, 1871 – May 15, 1952) was an American composer, pianist, violinist, and writer who composed two operas.[1] [2]

Smith was born in Sierra County, California, to Cecelia Meta Horeis and Philip Gerichten.[3] Little is known about her education. She married Barnaby Hathaway Smith in 1893 and they moved to Prescott, Arizona, where Barnaby managed the Palace Saloon.[4] During her time in Arizona, Smith made several quilts which remain in Arizona collections today. [1] She eventually returned to California, where she died in 1952.

Works

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In addition to composing music and playing violin with an orchestra in San Francisco, Smith wrote an essay about the women of early Arizona[5] which was included in Women of the West, a book edited by Max Binheim and published in 1928.[6] Smith's musical compositions include:

Operas

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Piano

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  • "Calizona"[11]
  • "Montezuma"[11]
  • "Song of the Pines"[11]
  • "Storm in the Grand Canyon"[11]

Vocal

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  • "Back to the West"[11]
  • "My Happy Home Away Out West"[12]
  • "Wait, My Little Darling"

References

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  1. ^ a b Frost, Helen Young; Stevenson, Pam Knight (1992). Grand Endeavors: Vintage Arizona Quilts and Their Makers. Northland Pub. ISBN 978-0-87358-547-7.
  2. ^ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in Music : An Encyclopedic Biobibliography. Don A. Hennessee (2nd ed.). Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
  3. ^ Howes, Durward (1981). American Women, 1935-1940: A-L. Gale Research Company. ISBN 978-0-8103-0403-1.
  4. ^ Arizona History. Arizona Historical Society. 1986.
  5. ^ Women of Early Arizona  – via Wikisource.
  6. ^ Binheim, Max (1928). Women of the West. California: Publishers Press.
  7. ^ Heuser, Herman Joseph (1932). The American Ecclesiastical Review;: A Monthly Publication for the Clergy. Catholic University of America Press.
  8. ^ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music (USA). ISBN 978-0-9617485-1-7.
  9. ^ Anderson, Parker; Ruffner, Elisabeth (2012-03-05). The Elks Opera House. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4396-4993-0.
  10. ^ Dictionary-catalogue of Operas and Operettas which Have Been Performed on the Public Stage. Acme Publishing Company. 1910.
  11. ^ a b c d e Smith, Nellie von Gerichten. "Genealogy Trails History Group". Retrieved 2022-02-13. Smith, Nellie von Gerichten: a native of Sierra County, California, a resident of Arizona for 35 years.Married to Barnaby Hathaway Smith. Pianist and composer. Published the following piano solos: "Calizona", "Song of the Pines", "Montezuma", "A Storm in the Grand Canyon", also the song, "Back to the West".
  12. ^ Smith, Nellie von Gerichten. My Happy Home Away Out West. OCLC 1268065848.
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