Louise E. Simpson Stairs (March 24, 1892 - November 1975)[1] was an American composer,[2] organist,[3] and pianist, who sometimes published under the pseudonym Sidney Forrest.[4][5] She composed several cantatas, as well as piano and vocal works for children.

Stairs was born in Troupsburg, New York,[6] to Alice Clare Stephens and Colonel Ellsworth Simpson. She married Alpheus Wade Stairs on September 3, 1912, and they had a daughter (Ruth).[1] Little is known about Stairs’ education. Her music was published by Carl Fischer Music,[7] Hall-Mack Co.,[8] Oliver Ditson,[9] and Theodore Presser Co.[10] Her compositions include:

Cantatas

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  • Choral Cantata[11]
  • Infant Holy: Christmas Cantata[12]
  • Light O’er Bethlehem: Christmas Cantata[7]

Organ

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  • Advent Prayer[13]
  • Arietta[13]
  • Bright and Morning Star[13]
  • He Shall Be Their Shepherd[13]
  • Manger’s Gift[13]
  • Master Call[13]
  • Sabbath Morning[13]
  • White Lillies[13]

Piano

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  • Clocks in the Hall (with E. B. Marks)[9]
  • Floating Clouds[11]
  • Peach Blooms[14]
  • Soldiers at Play[11]
  • Sunday Morning[15]
  • To Whit, To Whoo[11]
  • Uncle Ben[16]

Vocal

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  • “His Loving Call”[8]
  • “Hush-a-bye Dolly”[10]
  • “Finding Fairies”[12]
  • “Lazy Frog”[17]
  • “Lift Up Your Heads”[11]
  • “Lord, Speak to Me” (text by Frances Ridley Havergal)[18]
  • “Nest of Baby Bunnies”[19]
  • “Robin Redbreast’s Song”[20]
  • “Robin’s Song”[21]
  • “Sailboats”[22]
  • “So Longeth My Soul for Thee”[11]
  • “There is an Eye that Never Sleeps”[11]
  • “When the Robin Sings”[9]
  • “Woodland Concert”[14]


References

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  1. ^ a b "Louise E. Stairs". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  2. ^ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Don A. Hennessee (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
  3. ^ Anderson, Ruth (1976). Contemporary American composers : a biographical dictionary. Boston: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-1117-0. OCLC 2035024.
  4. ^ Room, Adrian (2014-01-10). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5763-2.
  5. ^ Burns, Kristine Helen (2002). Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-1-57356-309-3.
  6. ^ Stern, Susan (1978). Women composers : a handbook. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-1138-3. OCLC 3844725.
  7. ^ a b "The Light o'er Bethlehem". www.carlfischer.com. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  8. ^ a b "Hymns of Pentecost 31. There's a gentle voice that's calling | Hymnary.org". hymnary.org. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  9. ^ a b c Musart. 1953.
  10. ^ a b Stairs, Louise E.; Stairs, Louise E. (1940). Hush - a - bye, Dolly. Theodore Presser Co.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music (USA). ISBN 978-0-9617485-1-7.
  12. ^ a b Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1941.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "Louise E. Stairs". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  14. ^ a b Stewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers : a checklist of works for the solo voice. Boston, Mass.: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-8498-4. OCLC 6815939.
  15. ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1950). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  16. ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1939.
  17. ^ The Music Magazine/Musical Courier. 1951.
  18. ^ Claghorn, Charles Eugene (1996). Women composers and songwriters : a concise biographical dictionary. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-585-03162-2. OCLC 42329817.
  19. ^ Music Clubs Magazine: Official Organ. The Federation. 1952.
  20. ^ Music Clubs Magazine. National Federation of Music Clubs. 1950.
  21. ^ Music Clubs Magazine. National Federation of Music Clubs. 1939.
  22. ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1963). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.