Wikipedia

May Summerbelle

Annie May Constance Summerbelle (1867 – 1947) was an Australian composer of light classical and popular music.[1][2][3] She was the third daughter of Captain William and Honoriah Summerbelle of Double Bay.[4] Her sister, Stella Clare, married Francis Joseph Bayldon, a master mariner and nautical instructor.[5] From the late 1880s she was a student of Alice Charbonnet-Kellermann, with Summerbelle's earliest compositions appearing in the early 1890s.[6]

May Summerbelle
Portrait of May Summerbelle
May Summerbelle in 1924
Background information
BornSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died(1946-01-01)1 January 1946
Occupation(s)Composer, journalist
Years active1890-1930

Among a hundred compositions, she had music selected for the British Empire Exhibition in London.[7] Her song So Long was played by the Australian Light Horse as the first wave embarked on the Gallipoli campaign.[8][9] The song was also selected by Australian entertainers despatched to entertain troops.[10]

She married Herbert Glasson in 1893[4] and wrote 'Love is a fadeless flower' while heavily pregnant with his child. The same year Herbert was convicted and executed for murder and robbery under arms.[11] Ms Summerbelle involved herself with repertory theatre groups via the Sydney Press-Women.[12]

Beautiful Eyes Waltz 1908
dedicated to Grace Palotta MIDI version[13][14]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Works

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  • Thou art mine 1906
  • Valkyrie, op. 6 1910-
  • Myee waltz /1890 [15]
  • Beaux yeux : waltz 1908
  • Pop-corn : cake walk & two step 1899 [16]
  • Gavotte in D : swords and roses dance : op. 4 1916
  • So-long : march-song / words by John Barr ; music by May Summerbelle 1914 [17]
  • Wanted for the fighting line : Australian recruiting song / words by Will. M. Fleming ; music by May Summerbelle 1914
  • Australia! sighs my heart / words by Ada A. Holman ; music by May Summerbelle
  • Ave Maria [3]
  • an article for the Sunday times newspaper [18]

Recordings

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Nostalgia - Piano Music by Australian Women by Jeanell Carrigan 2016 Wirrapang Pub.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Summerbelle, May (1867-1914) – People and Organisations". Trove (National Library of Australia). Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  2. ^ "May Summerbelle: (author/organisation) - AustLit: Discover Australian Stories". Austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Summerbelle". Avemariasongs.org. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Family Notices". Freeman's Journal. Vol. XLIV, no. 2553. New South Wales, Australia. 11 February 1893. p. 11. Retrieved 14 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ Phillips, Nan (1979). "Bayldon, Francis Joseph (1872–1948)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Sydney and Provincial Social Items, &c". Illustrated Sydney News. 9 May 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2020 – via Trove. (National Library of Australia).
  7. ^ "AUSTRALIAN COMPOSER LEAVING". The Daily Telegraph. No. 13, 818. New South Wales, Australia. 22 March 1924. p. 16. Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Mainly About People". Daily News. Vol. XLIII, no. 15, 277. Western Australia. 7 April 1924. p. 7 (THIRD EDITION). Retrieved 14 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Summerbelle, May; Fleming, W. M. (William Montgomerie), 1874-1961 (1914), Wanted for the fighting line [music] : Australian recruiting song / words by Will. M. Fleming ; music by May Summerbelle{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "SINGING FOR THE SOLDIERS". The Sun. No. 649. New South Wales, Australia. 5 September 1915. p. 17 (SUNDAY EDITION). Retrieved 4 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "The Carcoar Tragedy". Australian Town and Country Journal. Vol. XLVII, no. 1241. New South Wales, Australia. 28 October 1893. p. 9. Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "IN THE WINTER GARDEN". Freeman's Journal. Vol. LXIX, no. 4098. New South Wales, Australia. 15 February 1917. p. 28. Retrieved 14 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "NEW MUSIC". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 22, 035. New South Wales, Australia. 31 August 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ Summerbelle, May, Beaux yeux [music] : waltz / composed by May Summerbelle (in no linguistic content), W.H. Paling & Co., Ltd
  15. ^ "New Music". The Daily Telegraph. 17 January 1891. p. 9. Retrieved 26 April 2020 – via Trove. (National Library of Australia).
  16. ^ "Pop Corn Cake Walk by May Summerbelle from AUSTRALIA, 1899". YouTube. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  17. ^ "[Sheet music] So-Long: March-Song".
  18. ^ "AUSTRALIAN COMPOSERS". The Sunday Times. No. 1053. New South Wales, Australia. 25 March 1906. p. 1 (The Sunday Times Magazine Section). Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Rediscovering Australian women composers of piano music : Feature Article : Australian Music Centre". Australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
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