Bessie Mayle

Bessie Mayle
Mayle, from the 1949 yearbook of Howard University
Born
Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S.
Died(1963-05-17)May 17, 1963
Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationsSinger, poet, college professor

Bessie Helena Mayle (died May 17, 1963) was an American soprano singer, poet, and educator. She taught at historically black colleges and universities, including Barber-Scotia College, South Carolina State College, Johnson C. Smith University and Howard University.

Early life and education

Mayle was born in Hagerstown, Maryland,[1] the daughter of Warner Washington Mayle.[2] Her father was a Presbyterian minister.[3][4]

Mayle attended the Margaret Barber Seminary,[5] and graduated from Spelman College in 1931;[6][7] she won a creative writing award at Spelman, for a play she wrote.[8][9] She earned a master's degree from Boston University in 1932,[7][10] with a fellowship from the Julius Rosenwald Fund.[8] Her thesis was titled "History and Interpretation of the Pre-Reformation Carol and the Negro Spiritual."[11][12]

Career

Mayle taught music at Barber-Scotia College,[7] South Carolina State College,[13] and Johnson C. Smith University[3] and, beginning in 1942, in the religion department at Howard University.[7][14] Her poem "Night" (1930) was set to music as an art song by composer Florence Price in 1945.[15][16] She wrote the words and music to other songs, including "The Door to My Heart" (1951) and "No One But You" (1951).[17]

Alice Eversman described Mayle's voice as "of lovely texture, small and pure, but arresting for its sweetness of quality."[18] She was known for her eclectic programs, which included art songs by living American composers.[19] For example, she sang work by Wintter Watts at a 1939 concert in Atlanta,[6] and works by Mark Fax at a Washington, D.C. concert in 1950,[20] and gave the world premiere performance of Howard Swanson's "Songs for Patricia" in Minneapolis in 1952.[10] She gave a concert at the National Gallery of Art in 1953.[21][22] The Washington Afro-American music critic noted her "naturally fine vocal organ of not unusual size but true."[23] Another critic at the same show applauded Mayle's choice of modern songs, and the unusual flute accompaniment.[24]

Publications

  • "Night" and "Skylines" (1930, poems, The Crisis)[25]
  • "Clogged Springs" (1930, one-act play, Spelman Messenger)[26]

Personal life

Mayle died in 1963, in Washington, D.C.[1][27] She was due to receive her Ph.D. from the University of Southern Illinois in 1964.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sister of Mrs. Louis Moore Dies in Washington, D.C." St. Paul Recorder. 1963-05-23. p. 4. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Nellie Mayle (death notice)". The News of Cumberland County. 1942-01-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "People You Know". Lincoln Journal Star. 1933-10-13. p. 9. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "A. M. E. Mt. Zion". The News of Cumberland County. 1937-06-26. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Presents Concert at Barber School". The Anniston Star. 1939-01-05. p. 9. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Appreciative Audience Hears Bessie Mayle". Atlanta Daily World. 1939-01-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c d "Critics Praise Voice of Howard Teacher". The Afro-American. 1952-08-02. p. 6. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Soprano Sings Here". The News of Cumberland County. 1938-10-03. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Bessie Mayle Receives Jerome Prize". Spelman Messenger. 46: 145. July 1930.
  10. ^ a b "Soprano Bessie Mayle Guest Artist at First 'U' Summer Symphony Concert". Star Tribune. 1952-06-15. p. 43. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Spirituals-Folksongs Bibliography: Theses and Dissertations" (PDF). Music Library Association, Southern California Chapter (MLASCC) Newsletter. 40: 7. March 1987.
  12. ^ Mayle, Bessie H. (1932). (The) history and interpretation of the pre-reformation carol and negro spiritual . Boston University Libraries.
  13. ^ "Allen Presents Soprano Tonight". The State. 1940-03-06. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Singer, Sister of Mrs. Louis Moore, Ill in Washington". St. Paul Recorder. 1953-10-23. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Price, Florence. "Night (on texts of Bessie Mayle)". Wise Music Classical. Archived from the original on 2024-12-25. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  16. ^ Bridges, Meilee (February 25, 2019). "Rediscovering a 20th-Century Musical Master". Southwestern University. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  17. ^ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N).
  18. ^ Eversman, Alice (1949-10-04). "Enjoyabe Song Recital Given by Miss Bessie H. Mayle". Evening star. p. 27. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Bessie Helena Mayle In Song Recital at Spelman". Atlanta Daily World. 1939-01-06. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Show Bill: Bessie Mayle to Sing". Washington Afro American. 1950-04-22. p. 19. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ 514th concert, Bessie Mayle, soprano (15 February 1953); National Gallery of Art Archives, Music Program Records.
  22. ^ "Bessie Mayle Sings at Gallery Today". Times Herald. 1953-02-15. p. 55. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Williams, Virginia (1953-02-21). "Moments Musical". Washington Afro American. p. 17. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Gunn, Glenn Dillard (1953-02-16). "Bessie Mayle Wins Applause for Unusual French Songs". Times Herald. p. 8. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Mayle, Bessie. "Poems" The Crisis (May 1930): 163.
  26. ^ Mayle, Bessie (October 1930). "Clogged Springs: A One-Act Play". Spelman Messenger. 47 (1): 1–7.
  27. ^ "Bessie Helena Mayle (death notice)". Evening Star. 1963-05-18. p. 21. Retrieved 2026-01-26 – via Newspapers.com.
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