Ada Weigel Powers
Ada Elvira Weigel Powers (30 May 1863 - 6 Oct 1947)[1] was an American composer, pianist, and playwright who composed songs[2] and music for ballet,[3] piano, and violin.[4]
Powers was born in Watertown, New York, to Elvira Ada Kane and Samuel Mann Weigel.[5] Little is known about her education. She married John Orville John Powers in 1897 and they had two boys and two girls.[6]
Powers’ compositions were performed by baritone David Bispham [7] and organist Clarence Eddy,[8] with whom she collaborated on “Shepherd’s Song.” [9] Her works were published by Edward Schuberth & Company,[10] and included:
Ballet
[edit]- Slavonic Dance (string orchestra)[11]
Chamber
[edit]- Exile Song (violin and piano)[12]
Piano
[edit]- Clown’s Serenade[9]
- May Day Dance[13]
- Miniature Dance[9]
- Shepherd’s Song[9]
- Song of the Wildflowers[9]
- Souvenir[14]
- Story of Long Ago[13]
- Three Compositions for Pianoforte[9]
Plays
[edit]- The Scar[15]
- The Window[16]
Vocal
[edit]- “Chanson d’Amour”[17]
- “Elaine” (baritone and piano; text Alfred Lord Tennyson)[18]
- “Jester’s Drinking Song” (text by Powers; music by George E. Shea)[9]
- “Last Invocation” (text by Walt Whitman)[19]
- “Shepherd’s Song” (text by Powers; music by Clarence Eddy)[9]
- “Thou Art Like a Flower” (text by Heinrich Heine)[9]
- “Weep Not for the Dead”[9]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Biographical Dictionary of the Organ | Ada Weigel Powers". www.organ-biography.info. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
- ↑ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music USA. p. 558. ISBN 978-0-9617485-1-7.
- ↑ Wier, Albert E. (1938). The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians. New York: The Macmillan Company. p. 1462.
- ↑ Stern, Susan (1978). Women composers: a handbook. Metuchen London: the Scarecrow press. pp. 136–137. ISBN 978-0-8108-1138-6.
- ↑ "FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
- ↑ Harvard Class of 1891 - Fifth Report. Rockwell & Churchill Press. 1911.
- ↑ "David Bispham, America's Baritone, Coming to Liberty". Evening Times Star. Alameda, California. 22 Nov 1911. p. 7.
- ↑ Music News. Music News Corporation. 1916.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Ada Weigel Powers". search.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ Stewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers: a checklist of works for the solo voice. A Reference publication in women's studies. Boston, Mass: G.K. Hall. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-8161-8498-9.
- ↑ The Crescendo. Crescendo Publishing Company. 1914.
- ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1929.
- 1 2 Musical Observer. Musical Observer Company. 1928.
- ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1930). Catalog of Copyright Entries. Fourth Series. Copyright Office, Library of Congress.
- ↑ Catalogue of Copyright Entries. Jon Orwant.
- ↑ Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, contributions to newspapers or periodicals, etc.; lectures, sermons, addresses for oral delivery; dramatic compositions; maps; motion pictures. Part 1, group 2. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1920.
- ↑ Musical Observer. Musical Observer Company. 1928.
- ↑ "Reading of "Elaine"". Montclair Times. New Jersey. 7 March 1914. p. 5.
- ↑ "Ada Weigel Powers Song Texts | LiederNet". www.lieder.net. Retrieved 2026-07-01.