Not Resting Upon Laurels Poem by gershon hepner

Myra Hess, delightful dame,
recorded a vast repertoire,
gaining critically fame
in the great conservatoire,
but declared in her old age
that if she could, she’d start anew,
and, rerecording every page,
provide a different point of view.
These poems that I write have morals.
We ought to learn from Myra Hess,
not resting safely upon laurels,
forgetting every past success,
attempting to rethink each day
what yesterday seemed to succeed.
Life’s a piano we must play
as if we’ve not rehearsed each deed.
Dame Myra Hess DBE (February 25,1890 – November 25,1965) , born Julia Myra Hess, was a British pianist. She was born in London. At the age of five she began to study the piano and two years later entered the Guildhall School of Music, where she graduated as winner of the gold medal. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music under Tobias Matthay. Her debut came in 1907 when she played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.4 with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting. She went on to tour through Britain, Holland and France. Upon her American debut (New York, January 24,1922) she became a prime favorite in the United States, not only as a soloist, but also as a fine ensemble player. She gained even greater fame during World War II when, with all concert halls closed, she organised a series of lunchtime concerts at the National Gallery, playing in many herself. For these concerts, she was created a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in 1941; she had previously been created a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1936. Hess was best known in Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann, but had a wide repertoire ranging from Domenico Scarlatti to contemporary works.


8/18/08