Mary Watson Weaver

Mary Eliza Watson Weaver (January 16, 1903 – November 16, 1990) was an American composer, pianist,^[1] and poet who was born in Kansas City, Missouri.^[2]

Life

Mary received B.A. and B. M. degrees from Smith College (Massachusetts) and Ottawa University (Kansas).^[3] She continued to study music with Rosario Scalero and Deems Taylor at the Curtis Institute of Music^[4] (Philadelphia), and privately in New York and France.

Mary married composer and organist Powell Weaver on March 24, 1938,^[5] and they had one son (Thomas Watson Weaver).^[6] She gave lectures and recitals, and taught piano at the Kansas City Conservatory, the Curtis Institute, the University of Missouri–Kansas City (1946 – 1957), the Manhattan School of Music (New York; 1957 – 1970), and the Henry Street School of Music (New York).

Compositions

Mary's compositions were published by Belwin-Mills, G. Schirmer Inc., Galaxy Music Corporation, and Shawnee Press. She collaborated with her husband on some compositions (noted below), and he set some of her poems to music.^[7] Her musical compositions, all for voice, include:

• All Weary Men (with Powell Weaver; mixed chorus; 1949)^[8]
• Confess Jehovah (mixed chorus; 1951)
• "Cradle Song" (text by Padraic Colum; soprano and piano; 1940)^[9]
• Enchanted Islands (women's chorus; 1952)^[10]
• God's Love Enfold (mixed chorus; 1952)
• Hail, Jesu Bambino (mixed chorus; 1967)
• "Heart of Heaven" (soprano or alto and piano; 1952)
• Kneel Down (unspecified chorus)^[11]
• Like Doves Descending (with Powell Weaver; mixed chorus; 1952)
• Like the Young Sheep (mixed chorus; 1950)
• New Mexican Lullaby (women's chorus; 1953)
• O Holy Child (women's chorus; 1952)
• On the Eve of the First Christmas (with Powell Weaver; mixed chorus; 1948)
• Rise Up All Men (mixed chorus; 1953)
• When Jesus Lay by Mary's Side (with Powell Weaver; mixed chorus; 1951)
• Wild Swans^[12]

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. School and Community. Missouri State Teachers Association. 1974.
3. 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.
4. Heinrich, Adel. (1991). Organ and harpsichord music by women composers : an annotated catalog. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-38790-6. OCLC 650307517.
5. Weaver, Mary (October 21, 2020). "www.ancestry.com". Retrieved October 21, 2020.
6. Weaver, Powell (December 23, 1951). "Powell Weaver Obituary". Rapid City Journal (South Dakota). Retrieved October 21, 2020.
7. Meckna, Michael (2016-05-25), "Weaver, Powell", Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2293315, ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0, retrieved 2020-10-21
8. Claghorn, Charles Eugene, 1911-2005. (1996). Women composers and songwriters : a concise biographical dictionary. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-585-03162-2. OCLC 42329817.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. www.lieder.net (October 21, 2020). "Mary Watson Weaver". Retrieved October 21, 2020.
10. 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)
11. 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)
12. Musical Leader. 1944.