One Woman in a Hundred
Edna Phillips and the Philadelphia Orchestra
by Mary Sue Welsh
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Pub Date Feb 11 2013 | Archive Date May 09 2013
Description
Gifted harpist Edna Phillips (1907–2003) joined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1930, becoming not only that ensemble's first female member but also the first woman to hold a principal position in a major American orchestra. Plucked from the Curtis Institute of Music in the midst of her studies, Phillips was only twenty-three years old when Leopold Stokowski, one of the twentieth century's most innovative and controversial conductors, named her principal harpist. This candid, colorful account traces Phillips's journey through the competitive realm of Philadelphia's virtuoso players, where she survived--and thrived--thanks to her undeniable talent, determination, and lively humor. Drawing on extensive interviews with Phillips, her family, and colleagues as well as archival sources, One Woman in a Hundred chronicles the training, aspirations, setbacks, and successes of this pioneering woman musician. Mary Sue Welsh recounts numerous insider stories of rehearsal and performance with Stokowski and other renowned conductors of the period such as Arturo Toscanini, Fritz Reiner, Otto Klemperer, Sir Thomas Beecham, and Eugene Ormandy. She also depicts Phillips's interactions with fellow performers, the orchestra management, and her teacher, the wily and brilliant Carlos Salzedo. Blessed with a nimble wit, Phillips navigated a plethora of challenges, ranging from false conductors' cues to the advances of the debonair Stokowski and others. She remained with the orchestra through some of its most exciting years from 1930 to 1946 and was instrumental in fostering harp performance, commissioning many significant contributions to the literature. This portrait of Phillips's exceptional tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra also reveals the behind-the-scenes life of a famous orchestra during a period in which Rachmaninoff declared it "the finest orchestra the world has ever heard." Through Phillips's perceptive eyes, readers will watch as Stokowski melds his musicians into a marvelously flexible ensemble; world-class performers reach great heights and make embarrassing flubs; Greta Garbo comes to Philadelphia to observe her lover Leopold Stokowski at work; and the orchestra encounters the novel experience of recording for Walt Disney's Fantasia. A colorful glimpse into a world-class orchestra at the height of its glory, One Woman in a Hundred tells the fascinating story of one woman brave enough and strong enough to overcome historic barriers and pursue her dreams.
Mary Sue Welsh is a former executive director of the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, where she worked with its chair Edna Phillips. She lives in Philadelphia.
Mary Sue Welsh is a former executive director of the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, where she worked with its chair Edna Phillips. She lives in Philadelphia.
Advance Praise
"Edna Phillips's story is significant and worth telling, and this work
relates the trials, tribulations, and successes of this woman pioneer in
orchestral performance. Set against the background of some of the
prominent musicians of the twentieth century, One Woman in a Hundred will appeal to many general readers and music lovers."--J. Michele Edwards, professor emerita of music, Macalester College
"A refreshing addition to the literature on women in music history. One Woman in a Hundred candidly shares the experience of one woman who broke gender barriers during a significant period in the U.S. and Western Europe. Finding herself at the nexus of the powerful social and artistic elite of the day, Edna Phillips contributed greatly to the musical world through her performances and commissions."--Ann Yeung, editor of World Harp Congress Review
"Women playing in an orchestra? Unimaginable. Until Edna Phillips, just out of conservatory, innocently—but staunchly—took the stage with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The first woman to hold a principal position in a major American orchestra, opened the symphonic world to women. Hers was a life in music like no other, and Mary Sue Welsh takes us backstage for the start of a social and musical revolution."--Daniel Webster, former music critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Edna Phillips was an important figure not only in Philadelphia history but also in the history of the American symphony orchestra. Her biography by Mary Sue Welsh is of great value for the light it sheds on key musical personalities of the early to mid-twentieth century, as well as the attitude of orchestra members and managements toward women. It is also a delightfully frank portrait of a woman full of moxie, wit and warmth."--Diana Burgwyn, reviewer, classical music critic
"More than providing an enthralling account of a remarkable woman, One Woman in a Hundred adds vivid portraits of such legendary titans as Leopold Stokowski and Arturo Toscanini in the context of a tumultuous period in our history. Music is the backdrop for a compelling picture of how this era of depression and war resonated throughout Philadelphia and the nation."--Harold I. Gullan, Ph.D., historian and author of Faith of Our Mothers: The Stories of Presidential Mothers from Mary Washington to Barbara Bush
"A refreshing addition to the literature on women in music history. One Woman in a Hundred candidly shares the experience of one woman who broke gender barriers during a significant period in the U.S. and Western Europe. Finding herself at the nexus of the powerful social and artistic elite of the day, Edna Phillips contributed greatly to the musical world through her performances and commissions."--Ann Yeung, editor of World Harp Congress Review
"Women playing in an orchestra? Unimaginable. Until Edna Phillips, just out of conservatory, innocently—but staunchly—took the stage with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The first woman to hold a principal position in a major American orchestra, opened the symphonic world to women. Hers was a life in music like no other, and Mary Sue Welsh takes us backstage for the start of a social and musical revolution."--Daniel Webster, former music critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Edna Phillips was an important figure not only in Philadelphia history but also in the history of the American symphony orchestra. Her biography by Mary Sue Welsh is of great value for the light it sheds on key musical personalities of the early to mid-twentieth century, as well as the attitude of orchestra members and managements toward women. It is also a delightfully frank portrait of a woman full of moxie, wit and warmth."--Diana Burgwyn, reviewer, classical music critic
"More than providing an enthralling account of a remarkable woman, One Woman in a Hundred adds vivid portraits of such legendary titans as Leopold Stokowski and Arturo Toscanini in the context of a tumultuous period in our history. Music is the backdrop for a compelling picture of how this era of depression and war resonated throughout Philadelphia and the nation."--Harold I. Gullan, Ph.D., historian and author of Faith of Our Mothers: The Stories of Presidential Mothers from Mary Washington to Barbara Bush
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780252037368 |
| PRICE | $35.00 (USD) |
