Swan Hennessy

Swan Hennessy (24 November 1866 – 26 October 1929) was an Irish-American composer and pianist who lived much of his life in Paris.

Biography

Swan Hennessy was born in Rockford, Illinois of Irish origin and grew up in Chicago. According to Baker's Dictionary, he studied "general subjects" in Oxford, England, and then pursued musical studies in Germany at the Stuttgart Conservatory, in the mid-1880s. After travels in Italy, France and Ireland, he settled in Paris from about 1903, where he died in 1929.

Hennessy was married with Claire, née Przybyszewska (1883–1947); their son Patrice Hennessy (1910–1973) became a well-known literary man, author of the play in three acts La Rude journée de la nouvelle scène (1945) and the publication L'Autographe. Valeur de placement (Paris: G. Le Prat, 1970). They are buried in a family plot on Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris, division 28, section III.

Music

Swan Hennessy wrote in an Impressionist style, often tending towards a late-romantic idiom. Many of his pieces with titles ending on terms like "celtique" or "irlandais" are inspired by Irish and Breton traditional folk melody, but he rarely quotes actual folktunes. Although he did not live in Brittany, he was a member of the Paris-based "Association des Compositeurs Bretons", with which he organised concerts. In a French obituary, he was called "le barde de l'Irlande" and is credited as having saved "l'ancienne mélodie celtique". He also incorporated humorous elements into his music: "Il fut un humoriste d'une verve drue dont la drôlerie était faite à la fois d'observation et d'invention, de fantaisie et de psychologie." ("He was a humourist of great verve whose humour derived from observation and invention, fantasy and psychology").

Hennessy wrote extensively for the piano, and also for many chamber music instrumentations, as well as a number of songs. Most of his chamber music dates from after World War I.

From the time Hennessy lived in Paris, his music was largely published by E. Demets and from 1923 by Max Eschig (who had taken over Demets). Other publishers include Augener (London) and Schott (Mainz).

Selected works

For a full list of compositions, see List of compositions by Swan Hennessy.

Recordings

• Quatre Pièces celtiques, Op. 59, in an arrangement for cor anglais and organ, performed by Manfred Hoth (cor anglais) and Ulrich Leykam (organ), on: K&M Records, CD [undated].
• Trio, Op. 54 for two clarinets and bassoon, performed by Trio d'Ance di Bolzano, on: Rainbow RW 98107, CD (1999).
• Quatre Pièces celtiques, Op. 59, in an arrangement for cor anglais and string orchestra, performed by Rachel Tolmie (cor anglais), Bourbaki Ensemble, on: Wirripang Wirr 018, CD (2008).
• Trio, Op. 54 for two clarinets and bassoon, performed by Trio Pleyel, on: bremenradiohall records brh cd 1305, CD and downloads (2013).

• See entry in Bielefelder Katalog: http://www.bielekat.info/index.php?action=showdetail&id=39451.