Author: Stacy Horn

I was in Pennsylvania yesterday, talking about my book at the Wellington Square Bookshop and at West Chester University, at a meeting for the local chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

My God, Pennsylvania! I mean, first, check out the cookies below. I took this at the Wellington Square Bookshop where Donna McFadden had laid out these wonderful musical themed cookies (which were delicious). Wasn’t that an incredibly kind and thoughtful touch?? I felt so welcome and appreciated. Why didn’t I sneak some more in my pocket for the train ride home?? Seriously, they lit scented candles, made me tea, it was lovely. Thank you so much Donna and Wellington Square Bookshop.

Then, I didn’t know how I was going to get from the bookstore to the University, plus there were also hours and hours between events (an unavoidable scheduling issue). Well, Gail and Mary Lou, who came to the reading, live near the college and they drove me over!! And gave me a tour of the beautiful church where they sing (a centuries old converted barn)!! And I saw a baby deer!! And afterwards I went out to dinner with Gail and her husband Charles!! Thank you so much Gail and Charles and Mary Lou.

At the University, Erin Price and Mark were my next wonderful hosts. They’d just come from a big performance (they’re all music undergrads and grads) and they probably wanted to just kick back, but they came to my talk, and everyone who was there were all so funny and charming and relaxed (I think all but one of them also were part of the performance). I talked, they asked me questions, I asked them questions—the future singers and musicians of the world will be in good hands with them. Then Erin and Mark took me to the train and insisted on waiting with me until the train came (so polite). Thank you Erin and Mark.

I’m going to take it easy today, and maybe watch the EMMYS which I recorded last night.

The picture below is of a sign I passed by on Bleecker Street, two blocks from where I live. Oh how I laughed and laughed. Yeah. Right. Sigh. (I’m sure it’s a great deal.) There’s a street fair on Bleecker Street right now. It’s a gorgeous, windy day. I walked through the fair after swimming, and I felt so healthy and alive. It was kinda perfect.

I’m going to Pennsylvania tomorrow, to talk about my book Imperfect Harmony at two places, the Wellington Square Bookshop, and at West Chester University, at a meeting for the local chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. I’m a little nervous. Public speaking. Always a little nerve-wracking. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to get through my Tedx talk in November.

Woohoo! Imperfect Harmony was reviewed in the Atlantic, alongside Jhumpa Lahiri. I seriously love this review. “In this one-of-a-kind celebration of singing with others, I’d call her pitch nearly perfect … The thrill of being caught up in rare and rigorous communion, not just with a composer’s creation but with other voices, is contagious.” Thank you!!

My dragonfly came back. I’m sure it’s the same one. Totally. He missed me.

I looked over and saw this, and I immediately thought: trouble. Usually a scene like this would be followed by Bleecker pouncing on Finney, me jumping up and shouting, “NO!” to Bleecker and “I’m sorry,” to Finney. Sorry for bringing this little terror into his life, for what should have been his peaceful twilight years.

Instead, Bleecker sat as close as possible to Finney, but not too close to make Finney jump off the couch to find another spot to sleep. You can almost see the longing in Bleecker’s eyes. He so wants to be right next to Finney.

Soon, Bleecker was peacefully asleep. No one was more surprised than Finney.

When I first started researching my book, I briefly thought I might parallel 19th century Grace Church choirmaster James Morris Helfenstein with John Maclay, the current choir director of the Choral Society of Grace Church. But Helfenstein was the choirmaster for the vested choir of men and boys, a church choir, and the Choral Society is a community choir. It’s just not the same thing in so many ways.

So I didn’t research him much. But I was at Grace Church the other week, to discuss the talk I’m going to give there on September 29th, when I saw this painting of Helfstein’s wife Lillian. There’s no date, but it has a 1940s noir vibe to it, doesn’t it? It’s also kinda sordid, a little bit Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. Wait, what is that next to her under her hand? A dog or a fur … something? (Scroll down for more …)

The label on the painting reads: Lillian Spyr Helfstein, Mrs. James M. Helfstein, Painted by Elsie Whitmore Southwick, presented by her son, Gouverneur Morris Helfenstein.

I went back to my notes. Helfenstein took over as organist and choirmaster at Grace Church in 1894, when the Church decided they needed a musical overhaul. I felt a little bad for the existing musical director Samuel P. Warren, who’d been there for 26 years. He’d fought hard for the musical ways established under his direction, but that’s the way of the world, nothing lasts forever. Warren was out, and Helfenstein was in. Under Helfenstein’s reign a choir school was added, the music library was expanded, and music once again flourished at Grace Church.

Helfenstein was a law school graduate of Columbia, and he had a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, so he was giving up a possibly lucrative career. But it looks like there was a lot of family money. Ah, a little bit of Googling and I see he was descended from a Founding Father, Gouverneur Morris (so that’s where his son’s name comes from). Maybe he didn’t need to worry about making a living and could follow his passion, church music.

He and Lillian were married on June 8, 1915, when Lillian was 24 years old and James was 50! Here’s a picture of James. It’s also not dated so I don’t know how old he is here. And …

Here’s a picture of Lillian from a newspaper, a week after they were married. How sad, I just saw that Samuel P. Warren died in October that same year. James’s life continued to blossom and Samuel’s was completely and entirely over. (More below.)

Apparently in 1922, things between Helfenstein and Grace Church went south. In a May 1, 1922 letter to Rev. Charles L. Slattery (who had presided over James and Lillian’s wedding seven years earlier), Helfenstein writes, “From what you said at the conference and your subsequent and frequent notes it is evident that you are not satisfied with my management so I desire to place in your hand my resignation as Organist and Choirmaster of the Church.” It looks like part of the problem was Helfenstein thought the budget for music, which hadn’t been increased for many years, was inadequate. His salary is just fine he says, he is only “deeply interested in music and this School which I created …” William R. Stewart, who wrote a history of Grace Church, tried to intervene, siding with Helfenstein, but he was clearly not successful in mending the rift. Helfenstein had lasted 28 years, just a couple of years longer than Warren.

I found a few letters in the Grace Church Archives from Helfenstein’s son, Gouverneur Morris. In 1973 he donated some materials related to his father and the Church. There’s also some 1984 letters between him and Edyth McKitrick, the Church archivist at the time. Gouverneur thought a Dr. Bowie was responsible for his father’s departure, but Edyth points out to him that Bowie didn’t come to Grace Church until a year after his father left.

I would have loved to interview Gouverneur Morris Helfenstein, but it looks like he died on July 14, 2000. I wonder if he had children?

I found an informal history of the early days of the Grace Church School, written by some of the first choir boys. They had nothing but praise and affection for Helfenstein. James Morris Helfenstein died in February, 1953, and Lillian Helfenstein died in April, 1971.