Minerva Scientifica Birthday Celebration: Helen Hopekirk
20th May 2021
Helen Hopekirk
Composer
BORN 20th May 1856 Portobello, Edinburgh
“The Voice of the Mountains” by Helen Hopekirk (1856 – 1945)
(click the blue button above to listen)
A song for voice and piano, performed by Frances M Lynch, which we discovered just a few weeks ago, when looking for music to use in our podcast about the 1st practicing Scottish woman geologist Maria Ogilvie Gordon.
Hopekirk was an obvious composer to choose as she lived at the same time, and like Gordon, came from Scotland, was a pianist, and achieved a place at the top of her profession.
Gordon worked in the Dolomites, and it seems that Hopekirk wrote this particular song while touring in Austria – not so far away from these mountains. The song is a wonderful example of how to combine the voice and piano in a real duet – neither part works on its own – though both almost do, but it’s not until they are put together that the power of the music emerges. You can find out more about this great pianist and composer, who was lauded as the “second Clara Schumann“, on her Minerva Scientifica Webpage where you will also find quite a few more recordings of her work https://minervascientifica.co.uk/helen-hopekirk/
Helen Hopekirk (1856-1945)
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Created by electric voice theatre, Minerva Scientifica is a project that brings together professional performers with community musicians and school children. Together, we raise awareness of the rich heritage and deep connections between music and science, and inspire the next generation of future scientists.
