Harriet P. Sawyer


Harriet Priscilla Sawyer Achorn was an American composer who wrote mostly songs and some educational pieces for children. She was also known as Hattie, and published most of her music under the name Harriet P. Sawyer.

Life and career

Sawyer was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Harriet Adams Hayes and Melville Sawyer. Little is known about her education, although her obituary stated that she "received her musical education in various European cities." In 1897, George Whitefield Chadwick dedicated his song “The Rose Leans Over the Pool” to Sawyer. She married John Warren Achorn in 1907. In 1913, they were living in Boston. She died in Pinebluff, North Carolina on 20 May 1934.
Sawyer's music was published by Arthur P. Schmidt and G. Schirmer Inc.

List and compositions

Chamber

Vocal

  • “Across the Dreary Sea”
  • “Barcarole”
  • “Christmas Bells”
  • “Die ersten Tropfen fallen”
  • “Ich will meine Seele tauchen”
  • “In meiner Brust da sitzt win Weh”
  • “She Walks in Beauty”
  • “Slumber Song”
  • Thou art the Rest
  • “When Shall We Meet Again?”
  • “Who'll Tell?”
  • “Willie Darling”