Constance Cochnower Virtue facts for kids
Constance Cochnower Virtue (born January 6, 1905, died February 21, 1992) was an American composer and organist. She created a special way to write music called the Virtue Notagraph.
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Constance Virtue's Life and Work
Constance Cochnower Virtue was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her parents were Robert and Edith Rankin Cochnower. She married Clark W. Virtue, who was a doctor in the Navy. They had two children, Christie and Robert.
Constance studied music at the University of Cincinnati. She earned her first music degree in 1927. Later, in 1945, she got a master's degree in sacred music from the Union Theological Seminary in New York.
She taught piano and organ lessons to students. She also taught at Grossmont College for a few years. Constance was an organist and music director at churches in New York and California. In 1968, she traveled as a pianist for an opera program in Alaska.
The Notagraph System
In 1933, Constance Virtue invented a new system for writing music. She called it the Notagraph. This system used a seven-line staff, which is different from the usual five-line staff.
She made the Notagraph an official trademark. She also wrote two books about her new music system. These books were titled Design for a Modern Notation (published in 1945) and Music without Accidents (published in 1975).
Constance Virtue was part of several music groups. These included Mu Phi Epsilon and the American Guild of Organists. Her writings and music notes are kept at the University of California San Diego. Her music was published by companies like H.W. Gray and G. Schirmer, Inc.
Constance Virtue's Music
Constance Virtue wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some examples of her compositions:
Chamber Music
Chamber music is written for a small group of instruments.
- Fairy Tale for a Sleepy Child (for cello)
- For Spring Returning (for violin)
- Romanza (for violin, cello, and piano)
- String Quartet in G (for four string instruments)
Orchestra Music
Orchestra music is written for a large group of instruments.
- Mystic Sonnet: To a Tree in Bloom (also arranged for piano)
Theater Music
Theater music is written for plays or musicals.
- Queen of Camelot (a musical)
- What Gift to the King? (a Christmas music drama)
Vocal Music
Vocal music is written for singers.
- Farragut March Song
- I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes
- Love is Like a Rose (with words by Christina Georgina Rossetti)
- Six Songs from the Chronology of Love
