Louise Spizizen

Louise Fleur Meyers Schlesinger Spizizen (August 24, 1928 - July 2, 2010) was an American composer, critic, harpsichordist/pianist, and singer. She is best remembered today for her research and controversial claim that pianist Johana Harris actually composed music that was published under the name of her husband, Roy Harris.

Spizizen was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, to Lillian Gordon and Louis Samuel Meyers. After growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, she earned music degrees from Vassar College and the University of California, San Diego.

Spizizen married Eugene Richard Schlesinger in 1948 and they had three sons and a daughter before divorcing. San Diego Reader, and Tucson Weekly, as well as articles in various music journals (listed below). She appeared as an accompanist, harpsichordist, or singer with the Arizona Opera, Civic Orchestra of Tucson, and San Diego Symphony. She received two commissions from the Westport Madrigal Singers, as well as a prize from Vassar College for her 1946 dance score/musical comedy, Sweep It Clean. She died before completing the biography. Spizizen’s music was published by Theodore Presser Co.

Articles/Lectures

Johana and Roy Harris: Marrying a Real Composer (Musical Quarterly, Vol 77 No 4 1993)

Johana and Roy Harris: Whose Music is it, Anyhow? (1996 College Music Society Conference)

The Composer of Area Code 714 (Applause: San Diego Magazine of the Arts, Sep-Oct 1978)

Works

Ballet Birthday of the Infanta (harpsichord, chamber orchestra and piano)

Harpsichord realizations of works by Heinrich Biber, Johan Friedrich Fasch, Jean-Marie Leclair, and Pietro Locatelli

teaching pieces

Theatre six scores for Invisible Theatre productions

Sweep It Clean (musical comedy)

Vocal Sacred Service for Reformed Jewish Congregation (women’s voices and organ)

Three Games for Ten Players (string quintet and chorus)

Three Rounds for Mothers (a cappella chorus)

Weary with Toil (a cappella chorus)