Print Music

Biography of Dulcie Holland co-authored by Rita Crews OAM and Jeanell Carrigan AM

This wonderful Australian woman composer deserved to have her life and music celebrated much earlier, not twenty years after her death. But now it is been written by two musicians: one who knew Holland and had the opportunity to discuss her music with her; and one who has come to know Dulcie Holland from playing many of her remarkable compositions. Fortunately, there are detailed interviews available, giving a very good insight into Holland’s thought processes and providing an absolute wealth of information​.

Holland was such a modest woman that she probably would have thought her music - and her life - was not worth writing about. She was always described as having an engaging and outgoing personality. She considered herself to be first a pianist, then a composer and thirdly a teacher, but composed music well into her eighties.
Her compositions, numbering at least 330, included music in all genres except opera, though her musical play Jenolan Adventure, was certainly a work of drama for the stage. Documentary films, chamber music, works for orchestra, instrumental solos, many keyboard works and at least thirty songs are all part of her immense contribution to Australian composition.

She is undoubtedly best known for the numerous musicianship and theory textbooks that she wrote over many years. Even the catalogue listing at the National Library mentions that “Holland’s name became synonymous with music theory in Australia.” Despite the obvious advantages of being the Australian expert on music theory, it has meant that Holland herself and some of her more serious compositions have been overlooked by musical critics.

It is a tragedy that a biography and discussion about Holland’s music has taken until now to be written. She is certainly a composer who deserves to be celebrated. In her own words:

But after many years of writing music, simply because I had the urge to do so, I have reached the strong conclusion that music is greater than the sum of all those who contribute to it, and that instead of adding to the volume of music that has been composed, it would be much more valuable to make new converts for music, to share my enthusiasm for it with those possibly as yet unaware, and to stimulate them to find out more of its mysteries and delights. I have had first-hand opportunities to observe how young people develop, how their tastes may be formed, and their imagination fired, and ultimately how their lives can be enriched by a knowledge and love of music. To encourage others along these lines has become my mission in life, and I dare to hope that my influence for good may continue long after my earthly life ends, thus adding significantly to the quality of life in at least one small part of this world.

Composing is very difficult. It needs a lot of concentration and dedication to get things just right. I feel I’m a missionary in music in a way. [Dulcie Holland. 'Contemporary Music Review', 1994, Vol. 11]

ISBN 9781876829643

Piano music by Australian Women Composers 
There were many examples in the early part of the twentieth century in Australia of women who were exceptional pianists and who also wrote a great number of piano works. Many of these women were labelled child prodigies and obviously showed enormous potential and musical ability. These women performed as soloists and accompanists and contributed hugely to the musical and cultural life in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. They also left a large collection of compositions written for the solo keyboard.

To produce these three volumes within this Collection, Dr Jeanell Carrigan has researched and edited almost 50 works of Australian women composers, most of which have never been published. Each volume is accompanied by a CD of its works recorded by Jeanell. and biographical notes on each composer. All the composers were born between 1862 and 1915.  Many of them lived for the whole of the twentieth century, and in that time experienced many changes in the way music was composed, thought about  written about and performed.  Of course, they experienced many difficulties.  To be a composer in Australia during this period was a difficult enough, and to be a woman, was short of impossible!

The composers in this volume:  

Ada Maud Fitz-Stubbs (1861-1949); Mona McBurney (1862-1932); Florence Donaldson Ewart (1864-1949); Mary Bowden (1868-1950); (Annie) May Summerbelle (1868-1949); Esther Khan (1877-1962); Una Bounre (1882-1974); May Brahe (1855-1956) and Katherine (Kitty) Parker (1886-1971)

 "Nostalgia" CD is a collection of 28 works from these volumes and is available online

Nostalgia

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• Samples pages of each work

ISMN 9790720166926

$35.00 for instant PDF download see:

 Piano music by Australian Women Composers

The composers in this volume:  

Mirrie Hill (Solomon) (1889-1986); Elsa Marshall Hall (1891-1980); Edith Harrhy (1893-1969); Iris De Cairos Rego (1894-1987); Margaret Sutherland (1897-1984); Linda Phillips (1899-2002);  Nellie Cuddigan (b.ca. 1901); Vera Buck (1903-1986)

 "Nostalgia" CD is a collection of 28 works from these volumes and is available online

Nostalgia

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• Samples pages of each work

ISMN 9790720166933

$35.00 for instant PDF download see:

Piano music by Australian Women Composers

The composers in this volume:  

Esther Rofe (1904-2000); Meta Overman (1907-1993); Majorie Hesse (1911-1986); Josephine Bell (1912-2006); Peggy Glanville Hicks(1912-1990); Miriam Hyde (1913-2005); Dulcie Holland (1913-2000); Phyllis Batchelor (1915-1999).

 "Nostalgia" CD is a collection of 28 works from these volumes and is available online.  

Nostalgia

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• Samples pages of each work 
  

ISMN 9790720166940

$35.00 for instant PDF download: 

Iris de Cairos-Rego

There are many composers who lived in the early part of the twentieth century in Australia whose music has been scattered and largely forgotten. Even if their music was published it is long out of print and might be found in several libraries in the original publication or in archives but is often very difficult to trace and is almost never available from one source.

In The Composers' Series each volume will contain biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition, the scores and recordings. While its aims are to present a comprehensive portrait of the composer and their piano music this will sometimes be impossible as some scores have certainly been lost forever and only a mention can be made of those works.

More comprehensive biographical notes are within the volume.

22 piano solos from 1924 to 1957 are represented in this collection and includes  a recording by Jeanell Carrigan of all works.

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume I(a) - Iris de Cairos-Rego:

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• Sample pages of each work

ISMN 9790720214446
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As part of 'The Composer's Series' many of these works have been recorded by Jeanell Carrigan on a CD Reverie (Wirr 106) available here

Iris de Cairos-Rego

Piano Duets Bushland Sketches (composed 1938):

• Picnic, c.1'30
• The Koala's Story, c.1'00
• Kookaburra, c.2'30
• Twilight, c.2'00
• Vesper Hymn, c.3'00

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• Bushland Sketches - sheet music

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume I(b) - Iris de Cairos-Rego

ISMN 9790720214542
$20.00 for instant PDF download see

Iris de Cairos-Rego

String Trio for violins and cello.  Composed 1912-1959

These chamber works have now been recorded  and are the only known recordings of any of the works. The CD is included with the hard copy purchase.

Violin 1: Goetz Richter
Violin 2: (for both quartets only) Li Gu
Cello: Minah Choe
Piano: Jeanell Carrigan

• Folk Dance, c.2'00 audio
  
• The Old Stone Bridge, c.2'25 audio
• Trio in A Minor, c.26'00
  (i) Andante Moderato audio
  (ii) Allegretto Moderato audio
  (iii) Andante Tranquillo audio
  (iv)  Allegro audio
  

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• Chamber music - sheet music

Researched, edited and recorded by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume I(c) - Iris de Cairos-Rego

ISMN 9790720214719
$80.00 for instant PDF download score and parts 

Marjorie Hessie

13 piano solos from 1932 to 1966 are represented in this collection and includes  biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition, the scores and a recording by Jeanell Carrigan of all works in the hard copy.

Hesse’s compositional output almost completely consists of piano compositions which are mostly pedagogical works written for juveniles. Many of these were utilised by the AMEB and were almost all published.Original publishers included Augener, Allans, Leeds, Palings and Nicholson’s. Hesse being an experienced teacher knew which elements to exploit in her compositions to instruct students in the best technical methods.

More comprehensive biographical notes are within the volume which also includes a CD of all the works.

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume 2(a): Marjorie Hesse

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• Sample pages of each work

ISMN 9790720226675
$35.00 for instant PDF download

As part of 'The Composer's Series' many of these works have been recorded by Jeanell Carrigan on a CD Reverie (Wirr 106) available here

Marjorie Hessie

41 pieces for solo piano  are represented in this collection and includes  biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition and the scores.

Marjorie Hesse was a performer, but like many performers earned the bulk of her income from teaching, and later examining, piano students. The bulk of her compositions are for students – mainly those she taught herself - and those works are dedicated to individuals by name. She wrote for students of different levels of attainment and her works all had a pedagogical focus. The focus was sometimes a technical one but often was aimed at increasing musical or tonal awareness. The works in this volume have been ordered by difficulty level beginning with the very basic works for piano.

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume 2(b): Marjorie Hesse

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• Ten Busy Fingers (1959);  Preliminary grade
• At Play (1937; This and That (c.1982); When we were very Young; Growing Up (1936) 2nd - 3rd grades
  
• Playtime 3rd - 4th grades
• Skipping Suite; Eight Piano Solos (1973) 4th - 5th grades

ISMN 9790720226682
$35.00 for instant PDF download 

Marjorie Hessie

5 pieces for piano duets are represented in this collection and includes  biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition and the scores

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume 2(a): Marjorie Hesse

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• Sample pages of each work

ISMN 9790720226699
$25.00 for instant PDF download 

Katharine "Kitty" Parker

7 piano solos composed between 1925 and 1936).

The compositions for piano number only seven works. There are the Four Musical Sketches – A Patchwork of Shadows, Down Longford Way, The Red Admiral and One Summer Day, of which Down Longford Way has been the most successful; A Water Colour and Nocturne, published in 1925;[ and the Arc-en-Ciel, otherwise known as a ballet waltz for piano.  Arc-en-ciel would lend itself very well to being orchestrated, as it is a work with dense harmony and several waltz sections, while Nocturne and A Water Colour are exquisite examples of piano writing of the 1920s. Nocturne is similar in style to that of John Field or Fauré and explores the timbre and colour of the piano wonderfully.

The piano works are absolutely exquisite to play. All use chromatic, late romantic harmony and are technically and musically demanding. They are delightful sketches which create visual images of the titles and can be used to develop sensitivity and tonal awareness.

This volume  contains biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition, the scores and recordings.
Included is a recording by Jeanell Carrigan of all works in the hard copy volume.

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume 3 - Kitty Parker

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• Sample pages of each work

ISMN 9790720226491
$30.00 for instant PDF download

 

As part of 'The Composer's Series' many of these works have been recorded by Jeanell Carrigan on a CD Reverie (Wirr 106) available here

Una Bourne

23 piano solos from 1897 (aged 5 years) to 1927 are represented in this collection and includes  biographical notes about the composer, editorial and performance notes about each piano composition, the scores and a recording by Jeanell Carrigan of all works in the hard copy.

Una Bourne’s compositions are almost entirely for piano. Most of the works were published but there are several unpublished works held in archives by the State Library of Victoria. These include compositions transcribed by her elder sister Margaret, suggested by Una Bourne when she was five years old and are six small airs, all in C major, which appear, despite the different time signatures, like variations on each other. The six Airs appear in this publication exactly as transcribed by Margaret Bourne with no editing or dynamics added by this editor. Other works in the archives are also three songs: The War March (Fight for our Motherland); Anxiety to which she wrote both words and music and A Cloudless Night (song) words and music by Una Bourne (1922).

Unpublished piano solos also found in the archives include three more difficult works:
Valse Lente (unpublished)
Menuet (unpublished)
Papillons (unpublished)

Researched and edited by Jeanell Carrigan

Volume 4: Una Bourne

Download samples

• Sample pages of each work

ISMN 979072022705
$35.00 for instant PDF download 

As part of 'The Composer's Series' many of these works have been recorded by Jeanell Carrigan on a CD Reverie (Wirr 106) available here