197:
instruction for students at a boarding school operated by a Mrs. Brenton, she returned to Boston. On August 28, 1817, she played piano in concert as part of a trio and as a soloist, performing works by Pleyel and Henri Joseph Taskin. In addition, she sang at least one of her father's compositions, "Rest Thee, Babe". Later that year, she performed with the Handel and Haydn
Society in New York City, and performed three more times in New York in 1818.
259:
Hewitt performed at another concert for the Handel and Haydn
Society in Boston on April 20, 1828. By 1830, however, at least one member of the society criticized her playing and judged her music education inferior to the organization's new standards. As a result, she was removed from her position as
205:
Also in 1818, leaders of Boston's Handel and Haydn
Society recruited Hewitt to be the society's organist and accompanist. Initially declining the position, she accepted two years later and held the post for a decade. Hewitt was "the only woman they ever employed in this capacity, before or since".
286:
Hewitt's brother John Hill Hewitt (1801-1890) also had a distinguished career in the arts, becoming a respected
American playwright, poet and songwriter while their brothers, James Lang Hewitt (1800-1853) and George Washington Hewitt (1811-1893) became, respectively, a music publisher and a music
217:
She also continued to perform in recitals and in concert in Boston, including with that city's
Philharmonic Society throughout the late 1810s and early 1820s. On February 27, 1819, she became the second musician ever to perform the music of Beethoven in Boston when she played his Piano Sonata in
196:
After a brief sojourn in New York circa 1815 to 1817, during which she performed as a concert pianist for the
Euterpian Society and vocalist for New York Oratorios and studied piano with a Mr. Morgan, the harp with a Mr. Ferrand and the organ with George K. Jackson while also providing music
260:
the society's organist and accompanist. Despite this setback, she continued to operate her own musical academy in Boston, teaching harp, piano and voice to her students; she also continued to perform in concerts and recitals in and beyond Boston, participating in brief tours of Maine and
274:
On August 5, 1834, she appeared in Boston in a benefit for Mr. Walton, her last known performance. She became the organist at the First Parish Church in
Portland and taught to support herself and her daughter. In May 1845, the First Parish Church paid her $ 31.25 as organist.
143:(1770-1827), a native of England who became a respected composer, conductor and music publisher in the United States, and Eliza (King) Hewett (1779-1867), a Paris-educated author who was a daughter of a British Army officer. Sophia was baptized by the Rev.
314:
The first person to play
Beethoven's music in Boston – the violinist Paul Louis Ostinelli – later married Hewitt. Both also performed in concert in Boston on April 13, 1820. Posting advertisements in the April 1 and 8 editions of the music publication
192:
noted: "It is far beyond our ability to do her ample justice ... the spontaneous bursts of applause which followed are the best tribute of praise. We never witnessed a performance on the Piano Forte which could compare with it."
230:, he was a second violinist with the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston in 1817 and made his debut as a solo violinist in 1818. He also became the first musician to perform the music of Beethoven in Boston.
158:
in New York on April 14, 1807, at the age of seven at a concert planned and promoted by her father. She performed again in New York in
February and April 1808. She played a piano sonata by
298:, on November 26, 1843, and studied under several well-known teachers. In 1847, a year after her mother's death, she married an Italian cellist, Count Alessandro Biscaccianti.
206:
She was paid between $ 50 and $ 62.50 per quarter during her tenure with the society. During this same time, Sophia Hewitt also took on the role of organist for Boston's
278:
She died in
Portland August 31, 1845, at the age of forty-six. She was laid to rest in Tomb 48, Section A at the Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.
294:
Hewitt's daughter, Eliza, became a singer. A Boston patron provided her with enough money to travel to Europe to pursue her education. She sailed with her father for
585:
625:
590:
605:
238:
620:
595:
154:
She studied music with her father from the time she was a very young child and performed a piano sonata before an audience at the
630:
169:
Around 1812, Hewitt and her siblings relocated with their parents to Boston, where her father had accepted positions as the
107:(1799-1845) was an American classical musician who was a child prodigy who later became the only woman ever employed as an
431:
600:
148:
207:
132:
555:
112:
174:
144:
140:
211:
170:
155:
615:
610:
163:
116:
551:,” in “Very Important Passengers.” The Maritime Heritage Project: Retrieved online June 14, 2018.
253:
227:
84:
43:
185:
57:
548:
288:
246:
579:
319:, she increased the number of students taking harp, piano and voice lessons from her.
295:
39:
159:
95:
569:
226:
On August 25, 1822, Hewitt wed Paul Louis Ostinelli in Boston. A graduate of the
267:
By 1833, she had separated from her husband. She placed an advertisement in the
234:
516:
Jordan, Jr., Burial Records 1717-1962 of the Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Maine.
344:
565:.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, retrieved online June 14, 2018.
136:
120:
108:
562:
261:
119:. She also became the second musician ever to perform the music of
570:
The storm rondo : for the piano forte/composed by D. Steibelt
242:
345:
Burial Records 1717-1962 of the Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Maine
233:
Hewitt and her husband performed in recitals and concerts across
572:.” Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Hathi Trust, University of Michigan.
271:
offering piano and voice lessons at her residence in Portland.
435:. Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press, 2001, pp. 16-28, pp. 62-63.
558:” (memorial). Find A Grave: Retrieved online, June 14, 2018.
237:, including at a concert dedication of the new organ at the
348:(Sophia Hewitt Ostinelli). Berwyn Heights, Maryland, 1987.
525:
Chase, America’s Music, from the Pilgrims to the Present.
498:
Chase, America’s Music, from the Pilgrims to the Present.
393:
Chase, America’s Music, from the Pilgrims to the Present.
366:
Chase, America’s Music, from the Pilgrims to the Present.
287:
educator and composer. James was married to the poet,
534:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
507:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
489:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
480:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
471:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
462:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
453:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
444:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
420:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
411:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
402:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
384:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
375:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
357:
Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.
91:
80:
72:
64:
50:
28:
21:
245:. In 1823, she helped the South Parish Church in
98:(1770-1827) and Eliza (King) Hewitt (1779-1867)
76:Paul Louis Ostinelli, violinist and conductor
8:
432:Unsung: A History of Women in American Music
18:
338:
336:
332:
307:
252:In 1824, she gave birth to a daughter,
16:American classical musician (1799–1845)
563:The Storm a descriptive piece of music
556:Sophia Henrietta Emma Hewitt Ostinelli
7:
586:19th-century American women pianists
147:on June 14 1799, at New York City's
131:Sophia Henriette Hewitt was born in
180:Following her 1814 performance of
173:music manager and as organist for
14:
626:19th-century classical musicians
249:, debut its new English organ.
239:First Parish Church of Portland
591:19th-century American pianists
85:Eliza (Ostinelli) Biscaccianti
1:
342:Jordan, Jr., William B., ed.
606:Musicians from New York City
222:Family life and later career
68:Concert pianist and organist
33:Sophia Henreitte Emma Hewitt
621:Burials at Eastern Cemetery
647:
549:Madame Elisa Biscaccianti
133:New York County, New York
596:American women organists
188:, the music publication
171:Federal Street Theatre's
149:Trinity Episcopal Church
113:Handel and Haydn Society
111:and accompanist by the
105:Sophia Hewitt Ostinelli
23:Sophia Hewitt Ostinelli
631:19th-century organists
184:, a piano concerto by
201:Professional musician
164:Boston, Massachusetts
117:Boston, Massachusetts
212:Chauncy Place Church
166:on October 2, 1810.
139:on May 23, 1799, to
568:Steibelt, Daniel. “
561:Steibelt, Daniel. “
601:American organists
429:Ammer, Christine.
228:Paris Conservatory
208:Catholic Cathedral
102:
101:
638:
535:
532:
526:
523:
517:
514:
508:
505:
499:
496:
490:
487:
481:
478:
472:
469:
463:
460:
454:
451:
445:
442:
436:
427:
421:
418:
412:
409:
403:
400:
394:
391:
385:
382:
376:
373:
367:
364:
358:
355:
349:
340:
320:
312:
218:A-flat, op. 26.
19:
646:
645:
641:
640:
639:
637:
636:
635:
576:
575:
544:
539:
538:
533:
529:
524:
520:
515:
511:
506:
502:
497:
493:
488:
484:
479:
475:
470:
466:
461:
457:
452:
448:
443:
439:
428:
424:
419:
415:
410:
406:
401:
397:
392:
388:
383:
379:
374:
370:
365:
361:
356:
352:
341:
334:
329:
324:
323:
313:
309:
304:
284:
224:
203:
186:Daniel Steibelt
135:in what is now
129:
127:Formative years
60:
58:Portland, Maine
55:
54:August 31, 1845
46:
37:
35:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
644:
642:
634:
633:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
603:
598:
593:
588:
578:
577:
574:
573:
566:
559:
552:
543:
542:External links
540:
537:
536:
527:
518:
509:
500:
491:
482:
473:
464:
455:
446:
437:
422:
413:
404:
395:
386:
377:
368:
359:
350:
331:
330:
328:
325:
322:
321:
306:
305:
303:
300:
289:Mary E. Hewitt
283:
280:
247:Augusta, Maine
223:
220:
202:
199:
175:Trinity Church
145:Benjamin Moore
128:
125:
100:
99:
93:
89:
88:
82:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
66:
62:
61:
56:
52:
48:
47:
38:
32:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
643:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
583:
581:
571:
567:
564:
560:
557:
553:
550:
546:
545:
541:
531:
528:
522:
519:
513:
510:
504:
501:
495:
492:
486:
483:
477:
474:
468:
465:
459:
456:
450:
447:
441:
438:
434:
433:
426:
423:
417:
414:
408:
405:
399:
396:
390:
387:
381:
378:
372:
369:
363:
360:
354:
351:
347:
346:
339:
337:
333:
326:
318:
311:
308:
301:
299:
297:
296:Naples, Italy
292:
290:
281:
279:
276:
272:
270:
269:Eastern Argus
265:
263:
257:
255:
250:
248:
244:
240:
236:
231:
229:
221:
219:
215:
213:
209:
200:
198:
194:
191:
187:
183:
178:
176:
172:
167:
165:
161:
157:
152:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
126:
124:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
97:
94:
90:
86:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
65:Occupation(s)
63:
59:
53:
49:
45:
41:
40:New York City
31:
27:
20:
530:
521:
512:
503:
494:
485:
476:
467:
458:
449:
440:
430:
425:
416:
407:
398:
389:
380:
371:
362:
353:
343:
316:
310:
293:
285:
277:
273:
268:
266:
258:
251:
232:
225:
216:
204:
195:
189:
181:
179:
168:
160:Ignaz Pleyel
153:
141:James Hewitt
130:
104:
103:
96:James Hewitt
36:May 23, 1799
616:1845 deaths
611:1799 births
235:New England
123:in Boston.
87:(1824-1896)
580:Categories
327:References
156:City Hotel
317:Euterpiad
190:Repertory
182:The Storm
137:Manhattan
121:Beethoven
92:Parent(s)
73:Spouse(s)
109:organist
81:Children
44:New York
282:Family
262:Canada
302:Notes
254:Eliza
243:Maine
210:and
51:Died
29:Born
162:in
115:in
582::
335:^
291:.
264:.
256:.
241:,
214:.
177:.
151:.
42:.
554:“
547:“
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.