Mathilde Bilbro
American
Born 1870, Died 1978
Born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1870, Annie Mathilde Bilbro is known primarily as a children’s musician. Her unique writing style is said to have revolutionized the teaching of children’s piano literature. Her published works include over 600 piano solos, pianologues, song stories, piano duets and trios, and complete books of piano music collections. Unfortunately, much of her output has been lost over time and only a small fraction of her compositions are known to have been preserved in libraries and/or private collections.
Toward the end of her life, Bilbro, like Beethoven, was losing her hearing. She would stand quietly at the curve of a grand piano with her hands pressing against it - using the last of her abilities to enjoy the music to which she had devoted her life.
The Haunted Dell and The Wind-Ghost are both from the nine-piece collection Ghost Tales, published in 1918 by the Willis Music Company. Each piece features one character’s story and accompanying poem.
Toward the end of her life, Bilbro, like Beethoven, was losing her hearing. She would stand quietly at the curve of a grand piano with her hands pressing against it - using the last of her abilities to enjoy the music to which she had devoted her life.
The Haunted Dell and The Wind-Ghost are both from the nine-piece collection Ghost Tales, published in 1918 by the Willis Music Company. Each piece features one character’s story and accompanying poem.