Patricia Travers
Encyclopedia
Patricia Travers was an American violin child prodigy
and actress who withdrew from public performances at age 23. She lived in Clifton, New Jersey
, her entire life.
, summer music festival, Music Mountain. She later performed on CBS radio
'Ford Sunday Hour' show when she was nine.
She soloed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
under Efrem Kurtz
at Lewisohn Stadium
at age ten where she played “Symphonie Espagnole
” In 1940, she played the Mendelssohn Concerto
with the National Orchestral Association at Carnegie Hall
under Leon Barzin
.
She appeared in the 1941 film There's Magic in Music with Irra Petina
, Diana Lynn
, and Allan Jones
. In addition to a speaking role, she played Anton Rubinstein
's Romance in E flat in the film. She was part of a cultural exchange program after WWII
which had her touring Germany.
Dai-keong Lee wrote Incantation and Dance for Travers which she performed in a 1947 recital at Carnegie Hall.
Lorin Maazel
conducted several performances with her as part of the Pittsburgh Symphony
. She also performed Brahm's Violin Concerto
with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
several times in 1951.
One of her final works was a recorded performance for Columbia Records
of Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano by the American composer Charles Ives
, the first complete recording of that work.
from 1938 to 1954, which was sold to a benefactor who loaned it to Cal State Northridge; the violin was later owned briefly by Joshua Bell
. She also used a 1733 Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù
violin.
She is buried in St Joseph cemetery in Millbrook, New York
.
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
and actress who withdrew from public performances at age 23. She lived in Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...
, her entire life.
Career
Travers began violin lessons at age four which led to her first public performance at age six in the Falls Village, ConnecticutFalls Village, Connecticut
Falls Village is a village and census-designated place in the town of Canaan, Connecticut. Because Falls Village is the town center and principal constituent village in Canaan, the entire town is often referred to as "Falls Village." That usage also avoids confusion of the town with Canaan Village...
, summer music festival, Music Mountain. She later performed on CBS radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
'Ford Sunday Hour' show when she was nine.
She soloed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
under Efrem Kurtz
Efrem Kurtz
Efrem Kurtz was a Russian conductor. He studied at the Saint Petersburg conservatory with Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Tcherepnin, among others. He later studied in Riga, Berlin and in Leipzig, in the last city as a pupil of Arthur Nikisch....
at Lewisohn Stadium
Lewisohn Stadium
Lewisohn Stadium was an amphitheater and athletic facility built on the campus of the City College of New York. It opened in 1915 and was demolished in 1973.-History:...
at age ten where she played “Symphonie Espagnole
Symphonie Espagnole
The Symphonie espagnole in D minor, Op. 21, is a work for violin and orchestra by Édouard Lalo.-History:The work was written in 1874 for violinist Pablo de Sarasate, and premiered in Paris in February 1875....
” In 1940, she played the Mendelssohn Concerto
Violin Concerto (Mendelssohn)
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 is his last large orchestral work. It forms an important part of the violin repertoire and is one of the most popular and most frequently performed violin concertos of all time...
with the National Orchestral Association at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
under Leon Barzin
Leon Barzin
Léon Eugene Barzin was a Belgian-born American conductor and founder of the National Orchestral Association , the oldest surviving training orchestra in the United States...
.
She appeared in the 1941 film There's Magic in Music with Irra Petina
Irra Petina
Irra Petina was an actress and singer, as well as a leading contralto with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She was called the "floperetta queen" by critic Ken Mandelbaum.Born in St...
, Diana Lynn
Diana Lynn
Diana Lynn was an American actress.Born Dolores Marie Loehr in Los Angeles, California, Lynn was considered a child prodigy because of her exceptional abilities as a pianist at an early age, and by the age of 12 was playing with the Los Angeles Junior Symphony Orchestra.-Film career:Dolores Loehr...
, and Allan Jones
Allan Jones
Allan Jones was an American actor and singer. For many years he was married to actress Irene Hervey; their son is American pop singer Jack Jones.-Life and career:...
. In addition to a speaking role, she played Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
's Romance in E flat in the film. She was part of a cultural exchange program after WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
which had her touring Germany.
Dai-keong Lee wrote Incantation and Dance for Travers which she performed in a 1947 recital at Carnegie Hall.
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
conducted several performances with her as part of the Pittsburgh Symphony
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.-History:...
. She also performed Brahm's Violin Concerto
Violin concerto
A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
several times in 1951.
One of her final works was a recorded performance for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
of Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano by the American composer Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
, the first complete recording of that work.
Instruments
She owned the 1732 'Tom Taylor' StradivariusStradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
from 1938 to 1954, which was sold to a benefactor who loaned it to Cal State Northridge; the violin was later owned briefly by Joshua Bell
Joshua Bell
Joshua David Bell is an American Grammy Award-winning violinist.-Childhood:Bell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, United States, the son of a psychologist and a therapist. Bell's father is the late Alan P...
. She also used a 1733 Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù
Giuseppe Guarneri
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
violin.
Later life
There are no published explanations of why she stopped public performances. According to one source, who corresponded with Travers in 2007, she gave up concertizing to help her parents manage their varied business interests, which included considerable real-estate holdings. She lived quietly in her childhood home and managed several commercial rental properties that her father had built.She is buried in St Joseph cemetery in Millbrook, New York
Millbrook, New York
Millbrook is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is often said to be a "low-key version of the Hamptons" and one of the wealthiest towns in New York State. Millbrook's estimated town population was 1,551 in 2008. Millbrook is located in the Hudson Valley, an hour and thirty...
.