Jean Elizabeth Williams (January 20, 1876 – July 1965) is a composer who was born in
Wednesbury, England, and moved to
Toronto, Canada
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. After graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Music of the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, she returned to England and studied to be a concert pianist.
Williams changed her career plans from performance to teaching after breaking her wrist. She returned to the University of Toronto to teach voice and piano. She later taught in
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...
, and
St. Louis, Missouri, before moving to
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous ...
, in 1932.
Williams served as president of the National Music Teachers Association and as president of
Mu Phi Epsilon, a professional music fraternity. She collaborated on two music education books with Nellie Tholen, who later donated Williams' papers to the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is a ...
, where they are archived.
Williams' compositions include:
Chamber
*Gavotte (violin and piano)
*Valse (violin and piano)
Orchestra
*Concertina for Piano and String Orchestra
*Junior Piano Concerto No. 6
*Piano Concerto in a minor
*Piano Concerto in C
*Piano Concerto in F Major
*(Second) Piano Concerto in C
Piano
*Bolero (for two pianos)
*Dresden China Figures (Minuet V)
*Fairy Piper
*Gavotte in G Major
*Partita
*Polka
*Prelude Funebre
*Red Bird Singing
*Scherzo in a minor
*Sicilienne
*Sonatina in G
*Tango in c minor
*Toccata
*Valse Chanson
*Valse in d minor
*Zwei Canzonen aus dem Fiori Musicale
Piano or vocal (unspecified)
*Adeste Fideles (transcription)
*Allegro a la Tarantella
*Aria
*Baby Moon
*Bells
*Boys Are Marching
*Cherry Ripe
*Christmas Music for Treble Voices
*Crossing the Bar
*Dance Johnny!
*Dance of the Puppets
*Dance with Me
*Danza Espagnola
*Do You Sleep?
*Doll's Wedding
*Fife and Drum
*Fireside Memories
*Flying Leaf
*Four Christmas Songs
*Four O' Clock in the Morning
*Fun in China
*Grandfather Clock
*Happy Dreams
*Heritage
*Hermit Thrush
*In Far Places
*In Old Algiers
*Indian Lullaby
*Indian Tales
*Little Irish Donkey
*Lord Christ the Carpenter
*Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Dwelling Place
*Lovely Senorita
*Low Tide
*Musical Snuff Box
*Negro Lullaby
*Noel
*Old Spinet
*Painted Fan
*Paisley Shawl
*Pastourelle Pensif
*Patriot's Song
*Rain! Rain!
*Resurrection
*Ring, Ring Ye Bells (for women's chorus and piano; first verse by Jean Williams, second verse by
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his ...
)
*Ring Out Wild Bells
*The Roaming Bumble Bee
*Scout March
*Simple Simon
*Sleep Holy Child
*Slumber Little One
*Slumber Song
*Snow by Night
*Soldiers down the Street
*Star of My Heart
*Strange Port
*Street Parade
*These Are They
*This is Oregon
*To a Winter Robin
*Toby Jug
*Train
*Vin et les Cloches
*Wind and the Waves
*Wind Chimes and Lanterns
*Wind in the Night
*Winter Sleep
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Jean Elizabeth
British women composers
1876 births
1965 deaths
University of Toronto alumni
People from Wednesbury
Canadian women composers
British emigrants to Canada