The Work of Kathleen Schlesinger and Elsie Hamilton


Kathleen Schlesinger was a musicologist, the author of "The Greek Aulos" (Methuen 1939) now out of print, where she analyses the tuning systems used in Greece and other ancient and indigenous cultures to deduce a system known as the Harmoniai. This method of tuning was used by her friend, the composer Elsie Hamilton in her music. Here we present reprints of some rare articles by Schlesinger and Hamilton.

Note. Despite extensive research, we have been unable to track down the copyright holders of these pieces. They are presented here as the important documents they are in the recent history of just intonation. Please contact us if you have any information relating to the ownership of these pieces.

"Kathleen Schlesinger and Elsie Hamilton - Pioneers of Just Intonation" by Brian Lee. An introduction to the work of Kathleen Schlesinger and Elsie Hamilton in their historical and cultural context. Including rare photos of Elsie Hamilton. pdf

Elsie Hamilton and Kathleen Schlesinger: biographical notes

The Modes of Ancient Greece by Elsie Hamilton. A booklet written by Elsie Hamilton that explains her use of the modes of the Harmoniai. pdf

The New Language of Music by Thea Stanley Hughes from the Australian magazine Movement, June 1948. A review of The Greek Aulos by Kathleen Schlesinger including biographical and anecdotal material on Schlesinger and Hamilton.

The Language of Music by Kathleen Schlesinger from "Anthroposophy Vol I, 1920-22"

The Return of the Planetary Modes by Kathleen Schlesinger. Originally published in "Anthroposophy Vol II, 1923". Here Schlesinger reveals the metaphysics behind the Harmoniai.

The Nature of Musical Experience in the Light of Anthroposophy by Elsie Hamilton. Originally published in "Anthroposophy Vol I, 1926".

Appendix III from The Greek Aulos by Kathleen Schlesinger (1939) where she talks about the modern use of the Harmoniai and the works of Elsie Hamilton. pdf

Divisions of the Tetrachord: A Prolegomon to the Construction of Musical Scales by John Chalmers. (Published by Frog Peak Music. 1993). A book on the application of Ancient Greek musical concepts to contemporary composition. Thanks to John Chalmers for permission to reprint Chapter 8 of his book which deals specifically with Schlesinger's Harmoniai.

If you want to read the whole book it is no longer in print but the full text is online here:

Sensa, a play in three acts written by Mabel Collins and Maud Hoffman with music by Elsie Hamilton. Three performances took place in the Etlinger Hall London in 1919. The only part of the music that remains is the Hymn to Ra, a setting of the text: "Hail! All hail! Thou who art Ra! When thou riseth, thou riseth! Thou shinest! Thou shinest! Thou who art crowned King of the Gods!" Here we include here the full script of the play.

Sensa dramatis personae
Sensa Act I
Sensa Act II
Sensa Act III

Scores of pieces by Elsie Hamilton


Hymn to Ra.
For voice 2 lyres and bass lyre
(Sun scale 22, Venus species 12).

Olaf Åsteson.
For male and female choirs and lyres.

Final Verse of Olaf Åsterson for voices, violin or flute, 2nd violin, cor anglais or viola, cello, lyres. in Rag Malkos

Wenn der Mensch warm in Liebe.
For voices and lyres.
Words by Rudolf Steiner
(Venus scale)

Finnisches Volkslied mit Begleitung
(Finnish Folksong with Accompaniment)
For clarinet and lyre.
(Jupiter scale)

Keltisches Volkslied
(Celtic Folksong) for clarinet and alto lyre.
(Saturn scale)

Steig hinan zu höhern Kreise
for soprano lyre, alto lyre.
Words by Goethe.
(Jupiter scale)

Lasst uns die Baüme lieben "Aus Sibylla Mariana”
for voice, soprano lyre and alto lyre.
Words by A. Steffen
(Venus scale)

Natur-Stimmung (Natural Tuning)
for flute, violin and 3 lyres
(Jupiter and Malkos scale)

Exercise in the Saturn Scale
for voice, 2 soprano lyres, 1 alto lyre.

Ecce Homo. for voice and 3 lyres.
Words by Rudolf Steiner.
(Venus scale)

Largo, Stück für drei Leiern.
(Piece for 3 lyres)
for soprano lyre and 2 alto lyres.

Motto für die Schüle der Stimmenthüllung. for solo voice, choir and lyres. (words by Valborg Werbeck-Svärdström)

The notation of the tunings is explained in the article
Modes of Ancient Greece by Elsie Hamilton.

Scores of pieces by Willy (Wilhelmina) Roelvink.

Wilhelmina Roelvink a Dutch woman based in Hollywood, USA. Elsie Hamilton stayed with her in 1940 en route from Europe back to Australia. Roelvink wrote many pieces using the scales.

Kleine Planeten Suite for voice (or soprano lyre) and alto lyre. Saturn, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury and Sun scales.

Cradle Song for voice and alto lyre. Moon scale.

Little Melody for 2 soprano lyres. Jupiter scale.

Funeral March for cello (or 2 soprano lyres) and alto lyre. Saturn and Venus scales

Hintenlied für Flöte und sopran leier. (for flute and soprano lyre). Venus scale.

Piece in Jupiter Mode for soprano and alto lyres. Sun scale.

Slummerlied für Stimme und alto Leier (for voice and alto lyre) Words and music by Willy Roelvinck. Sun scale. Venus species.



Scores of pieces by other composers


Friedrich Doldinger. (1897-1973) A priest of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (near Basel, Switzerland). He invited Elsie Hamilton to Germany in 1954/55 where she gave talks and demonstrated the scales. He translated Hamilton’s booklet into German and also wrote music in the scales. More information on his life (in German) here

Züm by Friedrich Doldinger.

Mars Stück for clarinet or cor anglais, flute, violin, viola, cello, 4 lyres. composer unknown.

Jupiter Stück. for cor anglais or clarinet, flute, viola, cello, lyres. composer unknown.

Mit Andacht (With Devotion) for voice and lyres. composer unknown.

Piece for Three lyres. Venus and Saturn scales. composer unknown.

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