May Summerbelle Explained

May Summerbelle
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:Composer, journalist
Years Active:1890-1930

Annie May Constance Summerbelle (1867 – 1947) was an Australian composer of light classical and popular music.[1] [2] [3] She was the third daughter of Captain William and Honoriah Summerbelle of Double Bay. Her sister, Stella Clare, married Francis Joseph Bayldon, a master mariner and nautical instructor.[4] From the late 1880s she was a student of Alice Charbonnet-Kellermann, with Summerbelle's earliest compositions appearing in the early 1890s.[5]

Among a hundred compositions, she had music selected for the British Empire Exhibition in London.[6] Her song So Long was played by the Australian Light Horse as the first wave embarked on the Gallipoli campaign.[7] The song was also selected by Australian entertainers despatched to entertain troops.[8]

She married Herbert Glasson in 1893[9] and wrote 'Love is a fadeless flower' while heavily pregnant with his child. The same year Herbert was convicted and executed for murder and robbery under arms.[10] Ms Summerbelle involved herself with repertory theatre groups via the Sydney Press-Women.[11]

Works

Recordings

Nostalgia - Piano Music by Australian Women by Jeanell Carrigan 2016 Wirrapang Pub.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20181013133101/https://trove.nla.gov.au/people/500380?c=people . Summerbelle, May (1867-1914) – People and Organisations . Trove (National Library of Australia) . 13 October 2018 . 26 April 2020 .
  2. Web site: May Summerbelle: (author/organisation) - AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. Austlit.edu.au. 12 October 2018.
  3. Web site: Summerbelle. Avemariasongs.org. 12 October 2018.
  4. Book: Phillips, Nan . Bayldon, Francis Joseph (1872–1948) . . . http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bayldon-francis-joseph-5159/text8659 . 1979 . 26 April 2020 .
  5. News: Sydney and Provincial Social Items, &c. . . 9 May 1891 . 26 April 2020 . 3 . Trove. (National Library of Australia) .
  6. News: AUSTRALIAN COMPOSER LEAVING . . 13,818 . New South Wales, Australia . 22 March 1924 . 13 October 2018 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: Mainly About People . . XLIII . 15,277 . Western Australia . 7 April 1924 . 14 October 2018 . 7 (THIRD EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: SINGING FOR THE SOLDIERS . . 649 . New South Wales, Australia . 5 September 1915 . 4 November 2024 . 17 (SUNDAY EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Family Notices . . XLIV . 2553 . New South Wales, Australia . 11 February 1893 . 14 October 2018 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: The Carcoar Tragedy . . XLVII . 1241 . New South Wales, Australia . 28 October 1893 . 13 October 2018 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: IN THE WINTER GARDEN. . . LXIX . 4098 . New South Wales, Australia . 15 February 1917 . 14 October 2018 . 28 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: New Music . . 17 January 1891 . 26 April 2020 . 9 . Trove. (National Library of Australia) .
  13. Web site: Pop Corn Cake Walk by May Summerbelle from AUSTRALIA, 1899. 8 March 2014. 12 October 2018. YouTube.
  14. Web site: [Sheet music] So-Long: March-Song.
  15. News: AUSTRALIAN COMPOSERS . . 1053 . New South Wales, Australia . 25 March 1906 . 13 October 2018 . 1 (The Sunday Times Magazine Section) . National Library of Australia.
  16. Web site: Rediscovering Australian women composers of piano music : Feature Article : Australian Music Centre. Australianmusiccentre.com.au. 12 October 2018.

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