Helen Westbrook
Born
Helen Searles

(1889-10-15)October 15, 1889
Died1967 (aged 77–78)
Occupations
  • Organist
  • Composer
Organizations

Helen Searles Westbrook (October 15, 1889 – 1967) was an American composer[1] and organist who appeared with Chicago Symphony.[2]

Life

Westbrook was born in Southbridge, Massachusetts.[3] She began organ lessons at age eleven with her mother, who was also an organist.[4] Westbrook then studied with Arthur Dunham, Frank van Dusen, Wilhelm Middleschutte and Adolf Weidig at the American Conservatory, where she received a gold medal,[5] as well as a young American Artists award.[6] She married James Westbrook.

Westbrook was a theatre organist in Chicago. She played promotional concerts for the Hammond Organ Studios.[7] She played with the Chicago Opera Company under Bruno Walter,[8] as an organ soloist with Chicago Symphony, and on a WGN radio program for CBS which used her compositions "Dusk at Friendship Lake" and "Retrospection" as the program's theme songs. She was the music director at Central Church in Chicago.[9]

Westbrook was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)[10] and the Chicago Club of Women Organists.[11] She  helped manage the club's "Florence B. Price Organ Composition Contest" in 1954.[12]

Through Replica Records, Westbrook released at least one 33 rpm recording ("Helen's Holiday"), as well as three 45 rpm recordings with Cecil Roy and Betty Barrie: 1) Buddy's Butterfly 2) The Thistle/Buddy's Garden 3) Christmas Eve/Plasco Toys.[13]

Compositions

Westbrook's compositions include:[14]

Organ

  • Andante Religioso
  • Chanson Triste
  • Concert Piece in D
  • Dusk at Friendship Lakeu (used as the theme song for a CBS radio program)
  • Here Comes Santa Claus
  • Intermezzo
  • Laughing Sprites
  • Lento[15]
  • Melodie
  • Menuett in Olden Style
  • On the Ontonagon River
  • Pastorale Scherzo[16]
  • Poem for Autumn
  • Retrospection,[17] (used as the theme song for a CBS radio program).[18]
  • Waltz Circe

Vocal

  • Alabaster
  • Christ My Refuge (text by Mary Baker Eddy)[19]
  • Hindu Cradle Song
  • If You Call Me
  • Invincible (text by Sarojini Naidu)[20]
  • Magnificat (text by Helene Grossenbacher)
  • March Beside Him, Lord
  • Music I Heard With You (text by Conrad Aiken)[21]
  • Six Indian Songs
  • Solace (text by Josephine Hancock Logan)
  • Wedding Prayer (text by Curt A. Mundstock)

References

  1. ↑ Stern, Susan, 1953- (1978). Women composers : a handbook. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-1138-3. OCLC 3844725.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Hennessee, Don A. (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
  3. ↑ Klos, Lloyd E. (August–September 1980). "Theatre Organists as Composers Part II". Theatre Organ: 8.
  4. ↑ Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society. American Theatre Organ Society. 1983.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Ruth, 1928-2019. (1976). Contemporary American composers : a biographical dictionary. Boston: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-1117-0. OCLC 2035024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International encyclopedia of women composers (Second edition, revised and enlarged ed.). New York. ISBN 0-9617485-2-4. OCLC 16714846.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ "Frances Shimer College Commencement". The Freeport Journal-Standard. June 3, 1937. p. 2.
  8. ↑ Gruenstein, Siegfried Emanuel (1945). The Diapason. Scranton Gillette Communications, Incorporated.
  9. ↑ "Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society". journals.shareok.org. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  10. ↑ McNamara, Daniel Ignatius (1948). The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers. T. Y. Crowell Company.
  11. ↑ Phillips, Ora E. (August 1, 1935). "Report of Club of Women Organists" (PDF). The Diapason. p. 22.
  12. ↑ The Music Magazine/Musical Courier. 1953.
  13. ↑ "Helen Westbrook". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  14. ↑ Stewart-Green, Miriam. (1980). Women composers : a checklist of works for the solo voice. Boston, Mass.: G. K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-8498-4. OCLC 6815939.
  15. ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1942.
  16. ↑ Music Clubs Magazine: Official Organ. The Federation. 1958.
  17. ↑ Buhrman, Thomas Scott (1948). American Organist. American Guild of Organists.
  18. ↑ "Neil A. Kjos Music Co, For the Organ" (PDF). The Diapason. 35 (9): 2. August 1, 1944.
  19. ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1956). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  20. ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1970). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  21. ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1955). Catalog of Copyright Entries. U.S. Government Printing Office.
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