Frances Tarbox facts for kids

Frances Tarbox (born February 4, 1874 – died October 23, 1959) was an American musician who was both a talented composer and a skilled pianist. She wrote one opera and many songs during her lifetime. Sometimes, you might see her name spelled as Frances Tarbos.

Who Was Frances Tarbox?

Frances Tarbox was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her parents were Emma and Jasper Billings Tarbox. From a young age, she showed a great interest in music.

Her Musical Journey

To become a better musician, Frances traveled to Paris, France, to study music. Paris was a very important city for artists and musicians at that time. She also studied with a famous American composer named Edward MacDowell. Learning from such great teachers helped her develop her unique musical style.

Life in New York City

Frances Tarbox lived in New York City for a long time, starting around 1910 and staying there until she passed away. New York City was a bustling center for music and arts, which was a great place for a composer to live and work.

Frances Tarbox's Music

Frances Tarbox wrote different kinds of music. She is known for her songs and also for writing an opera. An opera is a special kind of play where the story is told mostly through singing, with music played by an orchestra.

Popular Songs and Publishers

One of her most famous songs was "The Joy of a Rose." A well-known singer named Louis Graveure, who was a baritone (a male singer with a medium-low voice), often performed this song in his concerts. This helped her music become more widely known. Her music was published by a company called Carl Fischer, which helped share her compositions with more people.

List of Compositions

Frances Tarbox wrote many pieces. Here are some of her known works:

Piano Music

• Valse Pavlova - A "valse" is another word for a waltz, which is a dance in three-quarter time.

Vocal Music

These are songs written for a singer, often with piano accompaniment.

• "America Stand Forth" (The words for this song were written by Michel Justin, which was a pen name for Julie C. Pruyn.)
• "Joy of a Rose" (The words for this song were written by A. L. Gruber.)
• "Relief from the New Deal" (The words for this song were also by Michel Justin, or Julie C. Pruyn. The "New Deal" was a series of programs and reforms in the United States during the 1930s, aimed at helping the country recover from the Great Depression.)
• "What Them Fellows Does is Art"
• "We've Found At Last a Candidate of Presidential Timber" (The words for this song were again by Michel Justin/Julie C. Pruyn. "Presidential timber" is an old-fashioned way of saying someone has the qualities to be a good president.)