Helen Searles Westbrook

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

Helen Westbrook
Born
Helen Searles

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

Life

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

Westbrook was a theatre organist in Chicago. She also played with the Chicago Opera Company under Bruno Walter,[6] 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.[7]

Westbrook was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)[8] and the Chicago Club of Women Organists. She  helped manage the club's "Florence B. Price Organ Composition Contest" in 1954.[9]

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.[10]

Compositions

Westbrook's compositions include:[11]

Organ
  • Andante Religioso
  • Chanson Triste
  • Concert Piece in D
  • Dusk at Friendship Lake, used as the theme song to her radio program.
  • Here Comes Santa Claus
  • Intermezzo
  • Laughing Sprites
  • Lento[12]
  • Melodie
  • Menuett in Olden Style
  • On the Ontonagon River
  • Pastorale Scherzo[13]
  • Poem for Autumn
  • Retrospection,[14] used as the theme song to her radio program.[15]
  • Waltz Circe

Vocal
  • Alabaster
  • Christ My Refuge (text by Mary Baker Eddy)[16]
  • Hindu Cradle Song
  • If You Call Me
  • Invincible (text by Sarojini Naidu)[17]
  • Magnificat (text by Helene Grossenbacher)
  • March Beside Him, Lord
  • Music I Heard With You (text by Conrad Aiken)[18]
  • 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)
  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. Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society. American Theatre Organ Society. 1983.
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. Gruenstein, Siegfried Emanuel (1945). The Diapason. Scranton Gillette Communications, Incorporated.
  7. "Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society". journals.shareok.org. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  8. McNamara, Daniel Ignatius (1948). The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers. T. Y. Crowell Company.
  9. The Music Magazine/Musical Courier. 1953.
  10. "Helen Westbrook". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  11. 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.
  12. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1942.
  13. Music Clubs Magazine: Official Organ. The Federation. 1958.
  14. Buhrman, Thomas Scott (1948). American Organist. American Guild of Organists.
  15. "Neil A. Kjos Music Co, For the Organ" (PDF). The Diapason. 35 (9): 2. August 1, 1944.
  16. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1956). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  17. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1970). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  18. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1955). Catalog of Copyright Entries. U.S. Government Printing Office.
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