Meta Fust Willoughby (1887 - 3 October 1937) was an American composer, pianist, and singer who performed and published under the name Meta Schumann. Schumann was born in

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

. Her first teacher was her father, the choral conductor and singer William Fust. Her brother, Carl J. Fust, was a violinist with the

Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Em ...

. Schumann married Clarence Willoughby and they had one son, William. Schumann studied music with C. C. Carman and Carina Mastinelli in Minnesota, and with John B. Acton in London. She established a studio in New York City during the 1920s, and toured the U.S. as a singer and accompanist. She accompanied and coached Alma Beck, Henrietta Conrad, Edith Hallett Frank,

Elena Gerhardt Elena Gerhardt (11 November 1883 – 11 January 1961) was a German mezzo-soprano singer associated with the singing of German classical lieder, of which she was considered one of the great interpreters. She left Germany for good to live in London ...

Dusolina Giannini Dusolina Giannini (December 19, 1902 – June 29, 1986) was an Italian-American soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory. Biography Born into a musical family in Philadelphia, Giannini was the daughter of Italian tenor Ferr ...

, Frieda Klink, Norman Jollif, Jane Laval, Eleanor Patterson, George Reimherr, Ottilie Schillig, William Simmons, Cornelius van Vliet, Frederic Warren, and Olga Warren. Schumann belonged to the New York Singing Teachers’ Association and sang with the Choral Society of the New York City Christian Science Institute. Her music was published by G. Ricordi & Company and

White, Smith & Company White, Smith & Company was a music publishing firm in Boston, Massachusetts. It issued sheet music and published industry journals, notably the monthly ''Folio''. History The business began in 1867 as a partnership between Charles A. White, Will ...

. Schumann’s compositions, all for voice, include: *''Cloudlets'' *''June Pastoral Song'' *''Medea'' *''Night'' *''Recompense'' (text by Josephine M. Fabricant) *''Spring'' *''Thee'' (text by

Florence Parr Gere Florence Beatrice Parr Gere (April 25, 1875 – September 4, 1964) was a Canadian-born American pianist and composer. Early life Florence Beatrice Parr was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, the eldest child of Florence Robbins Parr and Henry Albert ...

) *''Thou Immortal Night'' (text by Mina Verne Hammer) *''To a Star in June'' *''When Thou Art Night'' (text by

Thomas Moore Thomas Moore (28 May 1779 – 25 February 1852) was an Irish writer, poet, and lyricist celebrated for his ''Irish Melodies''. Their setting of English-language verse to old Irish tunes marked the transition in popular Irish culture from Irish ...

) *''Why Not?'' *''Winding Lane''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schumann, Meta American women composers 1887 births 1937 deaths American women songwriters Accompanists Pseudonymous artists Musicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota