Elsie Hamilton, etc.

I'd like to add a few comments to Brian Lee's post about Elsie Hamilton.
I had been searching informally and unsuccessfully for her music since
I first read "The Greek Aulos." Then last November, I saw a note on a
USENET newsgroup from Brian requesting information about her or her
music.I replied and we began following up his lead that EH was an
Anthroposophist. This was a real breakthrough, to say the least.

At the moment I am awaiting a letter from the music archivist at the
Steiner center in Dornach, Switzerland about obtaining photocopies of
the half dozen or so of EH's scores in their collection. These pieces
are chamber works for violin, voice and lyres. I would imagine the
last parts could be played on harps as KS refers to harps in her list
of EH's performances in England. The tuning would appear to be the
diatonic harmoniai, but now given planetary names (Venus scale,
MD 24 or 12 species, etc., her diatonic Phrygian.)

So far, neither of us have been able to locate the score of AGAVE
(a mystical pantomime), the piece quoted by Kathleen Schlesinger in TGA.
Neither have we found SENSA (a drama about Ancient Egypt) nor THE SEVEN
SCORPIONS OF YSIT, works also mentioned, but not quoted. These pieces
were incidental music to dramatic and/or dance productions staged in
London in 1924,1919, and 1929. We would appreciate any information
anyone else may come up with.

The author of Agave was Eva Papp. Sensa was written by Mable Collins
and Maude Hoffman and Seven Scorpions by Terence Gray, choreographed
by Ninette de Valois and produced at the Court Theatre. Agave was
"given three times in Madame Matton-Painpar'e's studio." Sensa was
performed at Etlinger Hall, Paddington. Alas, further details are
unknown to me at this time. ('e is e with an acute accent.)

Hamilton's Septet for Violins, viola, cello, flute, oboe and horn was
performed in 1917 at Steinway Hall by members of the Queen's Hall and
London Symophony Orchestras. Other works in 12-tet of EH's were also
performed then and in 1918. Apparently, Hamilton had some success as
a composer.

According to KS, EH also trained musicians in Stuttgart, Germany in
1935 to play in the harmoniai. Performances were also given in
Freiburg-in- Breslau

Hamilton returned to Australia, probably in the 1950's, and possibly
to Adelaide. As Brian suggested, it might be productive to search there
as well as England.

Apparently other composers and instrument builders associated with
Steiner's group have also used KS's "harmoniai." I came across a Hans
Friedrik Berg on the WEB some weeks ago, but have been able to discover
nothing (including an address) beyond what was on the page (in Swedish).
Berg has constructed a collection of lyres tuned to the harmoniai.

Heiner Ruland has published a book and given a videotaped lecture/demo
(in German) on tuning, his instruments, etc. The book has been translated
into English under the title "Expanding Tonal Awareness." However, it is
available only from the Rudolf Steiner Press and is somewhat pricey.
(I haven't seen it.)

Other Anthroposophists who may have worked with the harmoniai
are Anny von Lange and Marja Slotemaker. Steiner and von Lange associated
planets and scales, an attribution dating to Classical times (Greek
theorists, etc.), though I don't know if the correspondences are the
same.


--John




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