Cora Skillings Briggs[n 1] (13 May 1859, South Paris, Maine – 12 December 1935[1][2]) was an American composer and organist. She studied harmony with Stephen A. Emery and piano and organ with Hermann Kotzschmar and E. W. Hanscom; performed as the organist for the First Congregational Church of her birthplace for forty-eight years.[3][4][5] She wrote around eighty sacred Christian songs, the most famous one being Hold Thou My Hand.[2][3][6] Her husband, George A. Briggs was a vocalist.[7][8]
List of compositions edit
Some of the compositions are stored in Christopher A. Reynolds Collection of Women’s Song.
- Hold Thou My hand
- Song of Confidence
- What Would You Say, Dear?
Notes edit
- ^ Her first surname can be rendered as Skilling without the letter s.
Further reading edit
- Edwards, George Thornton. Music and Musicians of Maine. AMS Press: New York City.
References edit
- ^ Heinrich, Adel (1991-06-30). Organ and Harpsichord Music by Women Composers: An Annotated Catalog. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-0313387906.
BRIGGS, Cora Skilling (Mrs. George A.); b. May 13, 1859, South Paris, ME; d. Dec. 12, 1935, USA [Coh, Smi, Ste]
- ^ a b Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). "BRIGGS, Cora Skilling (Mrs. George A.)". International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Vol. 1 (2 ed.). New York City: Books & Music (USA) Inc. p. 109. ISBN 0-9617485-0-8.
- ^ a b Edwards, George Thornton: Music and Musicians of Maine Pg. 366
- ^ Women of Notes: 1,000 Women Composers Born Before 1900. R. Rosen Press. 1978. p. 16.
A pupil in piano and organ with Hermann Kotzschmar in Portland and Edward Hanscombe in Auburn, she also studied harmony with Stephen Emery in Boston. She wrote 80 anthems and songs and the Portand Public Library owns copies of Hold Thou My hand and Song of Confidence.
- ^ "Skillings' life to be detailed at meeting". Lewiston, Maine: Sun Journal. 2008-07-16. Archived from the original on 2024-02-21.
The group viewed his gravesite in Riverside Cemetery, the site of his home place, the Congregational Church where his daughter, Cora Briggs, played the organ for many years....
- ^ McCoy, Guy, ed. (1946). Portraits of the World's Best-Known Musicians: an Alphabetical Collection of Notable Musical Personalities of the World Covering the Entire History of Music. Philadelphia: Theodore Presser Company. p. 16.
- ^ Edwards, George Thornton: Music and Musicians of Maine Pg. 161
- ^ MacPherson, Bill (March 2021). "The Voice of Second Church > Music Notes" (PDF). Attleboro Second Church.
Have you heard of the early 20th-century composer C. S. Briggs, who lived in South Paris and frequently traveled to Norway to visit friends and concertize?