Hier, Ethel Glenn

views updated

Hier, Ethel Glenn

Hier, Ethel Glenn, American composer, teacher, and pianist; b. Cincinnati, June 25, 1889; d. Winter Park, Fla., Jan. 14, 1971. She studied piano at the Cincinnati Cons, of Music (diploma, 1908); in 1911 she resumed piano studies there and also received instruction in composition from Kelley. During the summer of 1912, she pursued training in composition from Kaun in Germany. In 1917 she went to N.Y. and studied composition with Goetschius and Bloch at the Inst. of Musical Art; after further training with Berg, Wellesz, and Malipiero in Europe, she completed her piano studies with Friedberg (1923). In subsequent years, she was mainly active as a teacher, composer, and promoter of women in American musical life. In 1926 she helped to found the Assn. of American Women Composers. In 1948 she founded the Composers Concerts in N.Y. In her music, she leavened impressionistic elements with infusions of popular and jazz styles. Among her works were Asolo Bells for orch. (Rochester, N.Y., Oct. 25, 1939), Mountain Preacher, cantata (N.Y., Dec. 5, 1941), 2 string quartets, 3 quintets, piano pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire