Amy Elsie Horrocks facts for kids

Amy Elise Horrocks (born 23 February 1867 – died 1919) was a talented English music teacher, composer, and pianist. She was born in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to English parents.

In 1882, Amy studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Her teachers were Adolf Schlösser and Francis William Davenport. She was a very good student, winning the Potter Exhibition prize in 1888 and the Bennett Prize in 1889. After finishing her studies, she performed as a pianist and taught music in London.

Some stories say that Sir Henry Wood, a famous conductor, proposed to her, but she said no. One of her musical pieces, called Romaunt of the Page, was first performed at a famous concert series called the Promenade Concerts on 6 October 1899.

Amy married Nicholas Paramythioti (1871–1943) on 22 August 1903. Nicholas was a businessman from Corfu who had been staying at her family's house in Hampstead, London. Around this time, Amy and Nicholas moved to France. Their two children were born there: John in 1904 and Pamela in 1906. Amy often traveled between France and Margate, where her parents had retired. Sadly, her parents both passed away in 1913 from the flu.

Amy's Diary: Thoughts on Music

Amy kept a diary from 1907 to 1918. She wrote it like a guide for her children. These entries give us a peek into her thoughts about music and composing.

24 October 1907

Amy wrote: “I’m afraid my composing days are practically over. I worked too hard once upon a time, & now I can only do very little without feeling my head spin round. And as regards the opera it really does not matter; these light things are usually written & composed by half a dozen different people; they have no consistency whatever, but nobody minds.” This shows that composing could be very tiring for her.

21 March 1908

She also wrote: “I have been filling up my time with composition I have from past songs in hand; because expenses are heavy & I want to help. I hope neither of my dears will want to take up music as a profession, by the way! Their Mummy should serve them as an awful warning. If you put aside prima donas, infant prodigies, & a very few composers who happen to be momentarily the sage, there is no profession worse paid; & certainly there are very few more injurious to the health.” Here, Amy warned her children about how difficult it could be to make a living as a musician.

23 May 1908

Amy shared another thought: “All those things – hysterical religion, sentimental poetry, sad music – (of which I myself have written far too much!) all, as Ruskin says “waste your strength in artificial sorrow” – that strength which God gave you to bear your real troubles, to control your own nature, & to fight the battle of life.” She felt that some types of art, including sad music, could make people feel fake sadness instead of helping them deal with real life.

A Champion for Peace

Amy's daughter, Pamela, said that her mother was a strong supporter of peace. After Amy's death, newspapers like The Stage and The Vote reported something special. They said that "shortly before her death a jury of musicians and literary men in Paris had awarded her the prize, open to the world, for a song in honour of the 'Drapeau Bleu' - the ensign of the League of Nations". The League of Nations was an early version of the United Nations, created to promote world peace.

A book about Pamela Morris, Amy's daughter, also mentioned this. It said that Amy composed a "Song for Peace" which had won an important prize. This shows Amy's dedication to peace through her music.

Her Music

Amy Horrocks wrote many different kinds of music. She composed pieces for orchestras, small groups of instruments (chamber ensembles), choirs, and solo singers.

Some of her works have been recorded and released on CDs. One example is:

• Catherine Wilmers, Simon Marlow - A Cello Century Of British Women Composers Audio CD (22 August 2000) Quicksilva Records, ASIN: B00004U5FS

Many copies of her compositions are kept at the British Library. She wrote many songs, often setting poems to music. She also composed instrumental pieces like:

• Country Dance, for cello & piano, Op. 17/2
• Cradle Song and Scherzo à la Mazurka for violin and piano. Op. 12
• Eight Variations on an original Theme for pianoforte, violin, viola and cello. Op. 11
• Irish Melody and Country Dance for violoncello and piano. Op. 17/1
• Piano Trio in B♭, 1897
• Sonata for cello and pianoforte, 1889
• Sonata in G for Pianoforte and Violoncello. Op. 7
• Trois Pièces faciles pour violon avec accompagnement de piano. Op. 34. 1. Barcarolle. 2. Élégie. 3. Masjurka
• Undine, Op. 16 for orchestra, Performed at The Proms, 6 February 1897

She also wrote "Action Songs" for children, which included movements and actions along with the singing. These were often based on fun themes like "The Discontented Bunny" or "Travellers' Tales."