Frances Marion Ralston
Frances Marion Ralston
Born
Frances Marion Ralston
(1875-01-07)January 7, 1875
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died(1952-02-05)February 5, 1952
Arcadia, California, U.S.
Other namesFanny
EducationNew England Conservatory of Music
Known forPiano compositions
Notable workReflections of a Musician, Six Pieces in the Greek Modes, Sonata (piano)
Parent(s)Lucy Boyd Lewis; John Ralston

Frances Marion Ralston (“Fanny”) (7 January 1875 - 5 February 1952) was an American author, composer, pianist and teacher. Widely published during her lifetime, she is best known for her works for piano.[1]

Biography

Ralston was born in St. Louis, Missouri,[2] to Lucy Boyd Lewis and John Ralston.[3] She studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music and in Chicago. Her teachers included Carl Faelten,  Arthur Foote, Percy Goetschius, Ernest R. Kroeger, Fannie Payne, Richard S. Poppen, Nellie Strong Stevenson and Adolf Weidig.[1] In 1896, she gave a recital of her own compositions in St. Louis.[4]

Ralston was awarded residencies at the MacDowell Colony (today known as MacDowell) in 1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, and 1944.[5] She served as director of the music department at Central College (Lexington, Missouri) for two years, and director of the music school at Rockford College (today Rockford University) in Illinois for nine years.[6] She died in Arcadia, California.[7]

Works

Ralston’s works are archived at the University of California, Los Angeles, Library.[8] They were published by Balmer and Weber, Breitkopf & Härtel, C. F. Summy, Composer Press,[9]G. Schirmer Inc.,[10] Hatch Music Company,[11] R. G. Badger, Schroeder & Gunther,[8]Theodore Presser Company[12] and Thiebes-Stierlin Music Company[1][13]. Her works include:

Prose

  • How to Start a Private Class in a New Field (article in The Musician November 1927)[14]
  • Reflections of a Musician (book)[15]

Chamber music

  • Fantasie for String Quartet[16]
  • Five Tone Poems (violin, cello and piano)[8]
  • Sonata Spirituel (violin and piano)[1]
  • Sonata No. 2 (violin and piano)[8]

Orchestral works

  • Rhapsody (piano and orchestra)[17]

Organ works

  • Scotch Idyll[1]

Piano works

  • Crimson and Gold Maples[18]
  • Fantasie Impromptu[7]
  • Impressions at Wellesley[7]
  • Musical Ideas for Beginners[7]
  • Prelude and Fugue in G[1]
  • Six Pieces in the Greek Modes[7]
  • Six Preludes[7]
  • Song Without Words, opus 10[1]
  • The Sea: Prelude and Fuguetta for Two Pianos[8]
  • Theme and Variations[7]
  • Three Impressions[7]
  • Three Little Waltzes:  Avowal, Estrangement and Reconciliation[21]

Vocal works

  • 24th Psalm and Gloria (SATB and piano)[8]
  • Awakening: Quintette (women's quartet and cello)[8]
  • Claribel (two sopranos and alto)[13]
  • “Ich Liebe Dich”[1]
  • Saul: An Oratorio (men's chorus and flute, harp and piano or organ)[8]

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijCohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music (USA). p. 571. ISBN 978-0-9617485-1-7.
  2. ^Stern, Susan (1978). Women composers: a handbook. Metuchen London: the Scarecrow press. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-8108-1138-6.
  3. ^"FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  4. ^Wier, Albert E. (1938). The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians. New York: The Macmillan Company. p. 1503.
  5. ^"F. Marion Ralston - Artist". MacDowell. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  6. ^Heinrich, Adel (1991). Organ and harpsichord music by women composers: an annotated catalog. Music reference collection. New York: Greenwood Press. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-313-26802-1.
  7. ^ abcdefghijSwearingen, Corte (2023-03-01). "Frances Marion Ralston - Solo Piano Music". American Piano Music. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  8. ^ abcdefgh"Finding Aid for the F. Marion Ralston Collection of Musical Compositions, ca. 1920-1931". oac.cdlib.org. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  9. ^Colby, Frank Harvey (1945). The Pacific Coast Musician. Colby and Pryibil.
  10. ^ abStewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers: A checklist of works for the solo voice. A reference publication in women's studies. Boston, Mass: Hall. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-8161-8498-9.
  11. ^ abRalston, Frances Marion (1919). Morning song. Washington University in St Louis Gaylord Music Library. Hatch Music Company.
  12. ^Pacific Coast Musician Year Book. Frank H. Colby. 1926.
  13. ^ abRalston, Frances Marion. "IMSLP"(PDF). Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  14. ^The Musician. Hatch Music Company. 1927.
  15. ^Musical America's Guide: A Digest of the Musical Resources of the United States and Canada. Musical America Company. 1926.
  16. ^Pacific coast music review. San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco. 1901.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. ^Hazard's Pavilion. SPSCMH. 1986.
  18. ^Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1920). Catalogue of Title-entries of Books and Other Articles Entered in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, Under the Copyright Law ... Wherein the Copyright Has Been Completed by the Deposit of Two Copies in the Office. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  19. ^"Romanza"(PDF). IMSLP. Retrieved 13 Dec 2025.
  20. ^Music and Musicians: Devoted Principally to the Interests of the Northwest. D.S. Craig. 1919.
  21. ^Music Clubs Magazine: Official Organ. The Federation. 1946.
  22. ^Laurence, Anya (1978). Women of Notes: 1,000 Women Composers Born Before 1900. New York: Richards Rosen Press Inc. p. 27.
  23. ^"Frances Marion Ralston Song Texts | LiederNet". www.lieder.net. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
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