Nellie von Gerichten Smith explained

Nellie von Gerichten Smith (April 24, 1871 – May 15, 1952) was an American composer, pianist, violinist, and writer who composed two operas.^{[1] [2]}

Smith was born in Sierra County, California, to Cecelia Meta Horeis and Philip Gerichten.^[3] Little is known about her education. She married Barnaby Hathaway Smith in 1893 and they moved to Prescott, Arizona, where Barnaby managed the Palace Saloon.^[4] During her time in Arizona, Smith made several quilts which remain in Arizona collections today. She eventually returned to California, where she died in 1952.

Works

In addition to composing music and playing violin with an orchestra in San Francisco, Smith wrote an essay about the women of early Arizona^[5] which was included in Women of the West, a book edited by Max Binheim and published in 1928.^[6] Smith's musical compositions include:

Operas

• Lily of the Mohawks: Kateri Tekakwitha (text by Edward C. La More)^[7]
• Twins of Bistritz^{[8] [9] [10]}

Piano

• "Calizona"^[11]
• "Montezuma"
• "Song of the Pines"
• "Storm in the Grand Canyon"

Vocal

• "Back to the West"
• "My Happy Home Away Out West"^[12]
• "Wait, My Little Darling"

Notes and References

1. Book: Frost. Helen Young. Grand Endeavors: Vintage Arizona Quilts and Their Makers. Stevenson. Pam Knight. 1992. Northland Pub.. 978-0-87358-547-7. en.
2. Book: Hixon, Donald L.. Women in Music : An Encyclopedic Biobibliography. 1993. Scarecrow Press. Don A. Hennessee. 0-8108-2769-7. 2nd. Metuchen, New Jersey. 28889156.
3. Book: Howes, Durward. American Women, 1935-1940: A-L. 1981. Gale Research Company. 978-0-8103-0403-1. en.
4. Book: Arizona History. 1986. Arizona Historical Society.
5. Page:Women of the West.djvu/19. Women of Early Arizona.
6. Book: Binheim, Max. Publishers Press. 1928. California.
7. Book: Heuser, Herman Joseph. The American Ecclesiastical Review;: A Monthly Publication for the Clergy. 1932. Catholic University of America Press.
8. Book: Cohen, Aaron I.. International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. 1987. Books & Music (USA). 978-0-9617485-1-7.
9. Book: Anderson. Parker. The Elks Opera House. Ruffner. Elisabeth. 2012-03-05. Arcadia Publishing. 978-1-4396-4993-0.
10. Book: Dictionary-catalogue of Operas and Operettas which Have Been Performed on the Public Stage. 1910. Acme Publishing Company.
11. Web site: Smith. Nellie von Gerichten. Genealogy Trails History Group. 2022-02-13. Smith, Nellie von Gerichten: a native of Sierra County, California, a resident of Arizona for 35 years.Married to Barnaby Hathaway Smith. Pianist and composer. Published the following piano solos: "Calizona", "Song of the Pines", "Montezuma", "A Storm in the Grand Canyon", also the song, "Back to the West"..
12. Book: Smith, Nellie von Gerichten. My Happy Home Away Out West. 1268065848.