Abbie Gerrish-Jones facts for kids

Abbie Gerrish-Jones (September 10, 1863 – February 5, 1929) was a talented American musician. She was a composer, which means she wrote music. She was also a librettist, meaning she wrote the stories and words for operas. Plus, she was a music writer, sharing her thoughts on music with others.

Who Was Abbie Gerrish-Jones?

Abbie Gerrish-Jones was born in Vallejo, California. She grew up in Sacramento. From a young age, Abbie loved music. She started playing the piano and writing her own music very early. She even studied music with a teacher named Charles Winter.

A Pioneer in American Music

Abbie Gerrish-Jones made history with her opera called Priscilla. An opera is like a play where the story is told mostly through singing. Priscilla was special because Abbie wrote both the music (the score) and the story (the libretto). This made it the first complete opera created by an American woman.

Abbie was also recognized for her piano music. One of her compositions won the famous Josef Hoffmann prize. This award was given for the "best American piano work."

Sharing Her Musical Ideas

Besides composing, Abbie also wrote about music. She shared her ideas in several well-known music magazines. These included Pacific Town Talk, The Pacific Coast Musical Review, and The Musical Courier. This last magazine was published in New York. Abbie Gerrish-Jones passed away in Seattle, Washington.

Her Musical Works

Abbie Gerrish-Jones was known for her operas. People often described them as having an "eerie" or mysterious feeling. She composed nine operas in total. She also wrote more than 100 songs.

Selected Works by Abbie Gerrish-Jones

Here are some of her important musical pieces:

• Priscilla (1887) – This was her groundbreaking opera.
• Sakura – Another opera she created with Gerta Weismer Hoffmann.
• The Snow Queen – A music drama, also written with Gerta Weismer Hoffmann.
• If I were thou – A song she composed using words by the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning.