Mme H. Servier

Jeanne Louise Hillemacher Servier (1807-1858)[1] was a French composer who published most of her work under the name Mme. H. Servier.[2] Her best known work was Methode Elementaire et Progressive de Chant a l’Usage de Toutes les Voix.[3][4][5]

Servier was the oldest of five children born to Wilhelmine (Faber) and Guillaume Hillemacher. Her youngest brother was the painter Eugene Ernest Hillemacher.[6] She married Henry A. Servier sometime before 1835, when she dedicated her composition Variations on the Evening Bells, opus 2, to her husband.[7] 

Little is known about Servier’s education. She worked with contemporary composers, musicians, and writers. Jacques-Louis Battmann dedicated his composition Fleur des Alpes to her.[8] She collaborated with cellist Auguste Franchomme to compose a piece for cello and piano. Servier adopted the common practice of writing and arranging works based on themes by other composers, such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincenzo Belllini, Gaetano Donizetti, Ambroise Thomas, and Giuseppe Verdi.[9][10][11]

Servier’s compositions were published by Henry Lemoine,[12] Pacini,[7] Schonenberger,[10] and Schott.[9] Her publications include:

  1. ^ Servier.
  2. ^ Weir, Albert E. (1938). The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians. New York: The Macmillan Company. p. 1720.
  3. ^ Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers (2nd ed.). New York: Books & Music (USA). p. 634. ISBN 978-0-9617485-2-4.
  4. ^ The Musician. Hatch Music Company. 1897.
  5. ^ Stratton, Stephen S. (1882). "Woman in Relation to Musical Art". Proceedings of the Musical Association. 9: 115–146. doi:10.1093/jrma/9.1.115. ISSN 0958-8442. JSTOR 765220.
  6. ^ "Family tree of Jeanne Louise HILLEMACHER". Geneanet. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b Servier, H. "IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Fleur des Alpes, Op.55 (Battmann, Jacques-Louis) - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b "List of works by Auguste Franchomme - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  10. ^ a b Servier nee Hillemacher, Henry. "WorldCat.org". worldcat.org. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  11. ^ Servier, Henry. Fantasie pour le piano. OCLC 844015103.
  12. ^ Henry, Mme. La Double échelle, opéra comique en 1 acte. OCLC 844460200 – via worldcat.org.