A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Holmes, Augusta

HOLMES, Augusta Mary Anne, born in Paris Dec. 16, 1847, of Irish parents, and naturalized in France in 1879, is, in fact, a composer of French music, for, being a member of the advanced school of Franck, she only writes music to French words. Her parents were strongly opposed to her musical propensities, and she began her career as a prodigy, playing the piano at concerts and in drawing-rooms, and singing airs of her own composition signed with the nom de plume of Hermann Zenta. She studied harmony and counterpoint with H. Lambert, organist of the cathedral at Versailles, where she was then living, and received excellent advice as to instrumentation from Klosé, bandmaster of the Artillerie de la Garde Impériale, and professor of the clarinet in the Conservatoire. In reality, however, Mlle. Holmes, whose character was one of great independence, worked alone both at her musical and literary studies, for since her début she has always written her own librettos; but in 1875 she became aware of the necessity for more serious studies under a master, and enrolled herself as a pupil of César Franck. With the exception of an opera, 'Héro et Léandre,' submitted to the directors of the Opéra Populaire, and of the Psalm 'In exitu,' performed by the Société Philharmonique in 1873, her compositions nearly all date from this time. After two years of serious study under Franck's direction, she produced at the Concerts du Châtelet (Jan. 14, 1877) an Andante Pastorale from a symphony on the subject of Orlando Furioso, and in the following year she gained a second place after Dubois and Godard (bracketed together) at the musical competition instituted by the city of Paris. Her prize composition, a symphony entitled 'Lutèce,' was afterwards played at the concerts at Angers (Nov. 30, 1884). In 1880 Mlle. Holmes again entered the second competition opened by the city of Paris, and though she only gained an honourable mention she was fortunate enough to attract the attention of Pasdeloup, who performed the entire score of her work, 'Les Argonautes,' at the Concerts Populaires (April 24, 1881), and this unexpected test proved to be entirely to her credit, and to the discomfiture of Duvernoy, whose 'Tempête' had been preferred to Mlle. Holmes's work by eleven judges against nine. On March 2, 1882, Mlle. Holmes produced at the Concerts Populaires a Poème Symphonique entitled 'Irlande'; another symphony, 'Pologne,' after its production at Angers, was played at the same concerts on Dec. 9, 1883; and a symphonic ode for chorus and orchestra with recitative, entitled 'Ludus pro patria,' was given on March 4. 1888, at the Concerts of the Conservatoire. The above, with a collection of songs called 'Les Sept Ivresses,' are the works by which Mlle. Holmes's vigorous and far from effeminate talent may be udged. We see the influence of Wagner, but only in the general conception; we do not light upon whole bars and passages copied literally from him, such as are found in the case of some composers. Certain portions of Mlle. Holmes's work, as the opening of 'Irlande,' her most complete work, and the third part of 'Les Argonautes,' although they contain serious faults in prosody and in the union between the words and the music, are nevertheless creations of great worth, evincing by turns a charming tenderness, ardent passion, and masculine spirit. It is true that the author does not always measure her effects; she gives rather too much prominence to the brass instruments, and in seeking for originality and grandeur she is sometimes affected and pompous; but this exuberance is at least a sign of an artistic temperament, and of a composer who has something to say and tries to give it a fitting expression. This virtue is rare enough amongst men, but is exceptional in women, and is therefore worthy of the highest praise.

[ A. J. ]