Although Elinor Dunsmuir died nearly 80 years ago, University of Victoria graduate Elizabeth Gerow feels a strong connection to the early 20th century noblewoman and her music.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like IB次元官网网址檓 reliving the early 1900s through ElinorB次元官网网址檚 music,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like time travel.B次元官网网址�
Gerow, who majored in vocal performance, recalls visiting Craigdarroch and Hatley castles throughout her youth, but it wasnB次元官网网址檛 until she started to research ElinorB次元官网网址檚 music that her interest in the daughter of James and Laura Dunsmuir really took off.
Put simply, ElinorB次元官网网址檚 compositions didnB次元官网网址檛 match what one might expect to hear from an era dominated by jazz, swing and big band.
B次元官网网址淭he first song that I sung was called Somebody and Nobody,B次元官网网址� she recalled. B次元官网网址淚t was short but it was so complete in itself B次元官网网址� it was so unexpected for the 1920s.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲hen I heard this song it just sounded really different. This had not fit into any of the categories that I remembered learning about [at university].B次元官网网址�
Add in the fact that there is strong evidence to suggest that she was gay and that she threw away much of her riches at the casinos of Monte Carlo, and Elinor makes for an all-around intriguing personality to match her unique music.
Lately, Gerow has spent much of her time transposing the manuscripts of ElinorB次元官网网址檚 compositions using Sibelius, a popular scorewriter computer program.
These handwritten songs have included pieces of all lengths, even full ballets.
While it wasnB次元官网网址檛 for a lack of trying B次元官网网址� she is known to have pitched her work to Ballets Russes founder Sergei Diaghilev B次元官网网址搈uch of ElinorB次元官网网址檚 music never made it beyond Hatley Castle and has remained unknown to the public to this day.
Gerow hopes that can change and that the Dunsmuir daughter can gain some posthumous notoriety for her work.
B次元官网网址淚 would just like famous scholars and people who are learning about music history and writing about music history to know about Elinor. I would like people to hear what I hear, to hear how unique it is.B次元官网网址�
Gerow, accompanied by pianist Jannie Burdeti, will give an audience at Hatley Castle a chance to discover ElinorB次元官网网址檚 music and learn more about her life this Saturday in a soldout event organized by the West Shore Arts Council.
Whatever the Cost - Hatley Park and the Dunsmuirs, a documentary produced by Victoria filmmakers David Springbett and Heather MacAndrew will also be shown as part of the event.
joel.tansey@goldstream
