Helen Margaret Hewitt (May 2, 1900 – March 19, 1977) was an American

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...

and

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do original ...

, who received a Guggenheim Fellowship to study

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...

in Paris in 1947. She was best known for her scholarly editions of sixteenth-century Venetian music incunabula printed by

Ottaviano Petrucci Ottaviano Petrucci (born in Fossombrone on 18 June 1466 – died on 7 May 1539 in Venice) was an Italian printer. His '' Harmonice Musices Odhecaton'', a collection of chansons printed in 1501, is commonly misidentified as the first book of sheet ...

Early life and education

Helen Margaret Hewitt was born in

Granville, New York Granville is a town on the eastern border of Washington County, New York, United States, abutting Rutland County, Vermont. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 6,215 at the 2020 census. The town ...

. She graduated from

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

in 1921, and from

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music ...

in 1925. She continued her studies in France, at the

American Conservatory The Fontainebleau Schools were founded in 1921, and consist of two schools: ''The American Conservatory'', and the ''School of Fine Arts at Fontainebleau''. History When the United States entered First World War the commander of its army, Gener ...

, where she worked with

Charles-Marie Widor Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the mid-Romantic era, most notable for his ten organ symphonies. His Toccata from the fifth organ symphony has become one of th ...

in organ performance, and

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher and conductor. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organist. From a ...

in harmony. She then studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia with Lynnwood Farnam (1928-1930) and then earned a master's degree at Union Theological Seminary in 1932, and another master's degree at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

the following year. Hewitt completed doctoral studies at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

in 1938. She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in music at Harvard.

Career

Hewitt taught music at

Potsdam, New York Potsdam ( moh, Tsi tewate’nehtararénies) is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town population was 14,901 at the 2020 census. The ZIP Code is 13676. When SUNY Potsdam and Clarkson University are in session, the popul ...

, at the

Florida State College for Women Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

, and at Hunter College, before joining the faculty at

North Texas State Teachers College The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School ...

in 1942. She was a professor at North Texas until she retired in 1969, and helped to found the doctoral program in music during her tenure there. She and her students gave organ recitals at the campus's main auditorium. As a scholar, she produced authoritative editions of sixteenth-century Venetian compositions, including the

Harmonice Musices Odhecaton The ''Harmonice Musices Odhecaton'' (One Hundred Songs of Harmonic Music, also known simply as the ''Odhecaton'') is an anthology of polyphonic secular songs published by Ottaviano Petrucci in 1501 in Venice. It is the first book of polyphonic mu ...

compiled and edited the publication ''Doctoral Dissertations in Musicology'' from 1952 to 1965, translated Bach scholarship from German, and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1947. In 1972, she was the recipient of the Elizabeth Mathias Award from Mu Phi Epsilon. In 1968 she was given an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Smith College.

Personal life

Hewitt died in

Denton, Texas Denton is a city in and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, United States. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 27th-most populous city in Texas, the 197th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous ...

in 1977, age 76. Her papers are now held by the music library at the

University of North Texas College of Music The University of North Texas College of Music, based in Denton, is a comprehensive music school among the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. It developed the first jazz studies ...

.Marissa Posada
Finding Aid for the Helen M. Hewitt Papers
1887-1976, University Archives, University of North Texas. The Helen Hewitt Organ Scholarship Fund at North Texas was named in her memory.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hewitt, Helen Margaret American women musicologists 1900 births 1977 deaths Harvard University alumni Columbia University alumni University of North Texas College of Music faculty Vassar College alumni Eastman School of Music alumni Union Theological Seminary (New York City) alumni 20th-century American musicologists 20th-century American women musicians Women music educators