{{Short description|American composer, music critic, educator and pianist (1897–1971)}} '''Ruth Erskine Tripp''' (December 26, 1897 – May 1971) was an American<ref>{{Cite book|last=Stern|first=Susan|title=Women composers : a handbook|date=1978|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=0-8108-1138-3|location=Metuchen, N.J.|oclc=3844725}}</ref> composer,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cohen|first=Aaron I.|title=International encyclopedia of women composers|date=1987|isbn=0-9617485-2-4|edition=Second edition, revised and enlarged|location=New York|oclc=16714846}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Hixon|first=Donald L.|title=Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography|date=1993|publisher=Scarecrow Press|others=Don A. Hennessee|isbn=0-8108-2769-7|edition=2nd|location=Metuchen, N.J.|oclc=28889156}}</ref> music critic,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Livingston|first=Carolyn|date=1999|title=The History of Music and Music Education in Rhode Island: A Project for Graduate Students|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/40214991|journal=Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education|volume=20 #2|issue=2|pages=121–141|doi=10.1177/153660069902000204|jstor=40214991|s2cid=148990630|archive-date=2023-03-05|access-date=2021-06-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305045410/https://www.jstor.org/stable/40214991|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> educator,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Burns|first=Kristine Helen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQcKAQAAMAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia|date=2002|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-1-57356-309-3|language=en}}</ref> and pianist.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D0w0AQAAMAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Musical America|date=1916|publisher=Music Publications, Limited|language=en}}</ref> She administered the Works Progress Administration's Federal Music Project (WPA FMP) in the state of Rhode Island from 1940 to 1943.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Rhode Island Historical Society|url=https://www.rihs.org/mssinv/Mss1102.htm|access-date=2021-06-03|website=www.rihs.org|archive-date=2003-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030412135009/http://www.rihs.org/mssinv/Mss1102.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Tripp was born in Dighton, Massachusetts, to Everett E. and Martha Erskine Tripp. She had three sisters: Martha, Elsie, and Gertrude.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ruth E Tripp (1897–1971) – Find A Grave Memorial|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114843760/ruth-e-tripp|access-date=2021-06-03|website=www.findagrave.com|language=en|archive-date=2021-06-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603191400/https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114843760/ruth-e-tripp|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1903 the family moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island.<ref name=":0" />

Tripp graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music and studied music in France at the Conservatorie Fountainbleu (probably one of the Fontainebleau Schools) in 1922.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BX0cAQAAMAAJ&q=ruth+erskine+tripp|title=The Luther Family in America: A Genealogy of the Descendants of Captain John Luther of the Massachusetts Bay Colony|date=1976|isbn=978-0-9601064-1-7|language=en}}</ref> Her teachers included May Atwood Anderson, Avis Bliven Charbonnel, and Ferdinand Motte-Lacroix.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thrasher|first=Herbert Chandler|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ln2wAAAAIAAJ&q=ruth+erskine+tripp|title=250 Years of Music in Providence, Rhode Island, 1636–1886|date=1942|publisher=Rhode Island Federation of music clubs|language=en}}</ref>

Tripp taught music at the Gordon School, a private school in Providence,<ref name=":1" /> and later at the University of Rhode Island and Bryant College (today Bryant University).<ref name=":0" /> She was music critic<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hZYgAQAAMAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Showcase: Music Clubs Magazine|date=1961|publisher=National Federation of Music Clubs.|language=en}}</ref> for the Providence Journal-Bulletin for 27 years, and also worked as a church choir director and organist.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CFgJAQAAMAAJ|title=The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education|date=1998|publisher=Department of Art and Music Education and Music Therapy, University of Kansas|language=en}}</ref> She served as president of Rhode Island's Federation of Music Clubs,<ref>{{Cite book|last=on|first=Best Books|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtpToXXsbioC&pg=PA173|title=Rhode Island, a Guide to the Smallest State|date=1937|publisher=Best Books on|isbn=978-1-62376-038-0|language=en|archive-date=2023-07-15|access-date=2023-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715152612/https://books.google.com/books?id=jtpToXXsbioC&pg=PA173|url-status=live}}</ref> and received awards from the American Symphony Orchestra League (today the League of American Orchestras) and the Music Critics Association.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XS49AAAAMAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Musical Courier|date=1960|language=en}}</ref> Tripp also participated in Rhode Island's Chaminade Club.<ref name=":0" />

Tripp's papers are archived at the Rhode Island Historical Society. She wrote a short story entitled ''The Jacknife''.<ref name=":0" /> Her musical compositions<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9EuAAAAIAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Directory of American Women Composers|date=1970|publisher=National Federation of Music Clubs.|language=en}}</ref> include:

;Chamber

*''Bergerette'' (flute and strings)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Livingston|first1=Carolyn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y1v0AAAAMAAJ&q=ruth+tripp+composer|title=Rhode Island's Musical Heritage: An Exploration|last2=Smith|first2=Dawn Elizabeth|date=2008|publisher=Harmonie Park Press|isbn=978-0-89990-143-5|language=en}}</ref>

;Operetta

*''Rabbit's Foot'' (lyrics by Grace Sherwood)<ref name=":0" /> *''Wedding of Miss Mary Krissmass and Mr. Sandy Claws'' (lyrics by Grace Sherwood)<ref name=":0" />

;Vocal

*"Christmas Folk Song" (text by Lizette Woodworth Reese)<ref name=":0" /> *"Earth Bread"''<ref name=":0" />'' *''In the Days of Herod the King'' (three women's voices; text Matthew 11:1–11)<ref name=":0" /> *''Land Grant: A Free Choral Adaptation of Portions of the Morrill Act of 1862 (M) Ostrich'' (text by Charles Malam)<ref name=":0" /> *"Rivals" (text by James Stephens; written for the 1948 Gordon School commencement)<ref name=":0" /> *"Rhode Island Campaign Song"<ref name=":0" /> *''Same Country'' (strings, harp, and choir; text Luke II: 8–14)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Administration|first=United States Work Projects|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPMiAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA48|title=List of American Orchestral Works Recommended by WPA Music Project Conductors|date=1941|publisher=Work projects administration, Federal works agency|language=en|archive-date=2023-07-15|access-date=2023-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715152610/https://books.google.com/books?id=mPMiAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA48|url-status=live}}</ref> *''Songs of the Sea'' (with Grace Sherwood)<ref name=":0" /> *"Solitary Place shall be Glad" (text Isaiah 35:1-2-10)<ref name=":0" />

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tripp, Ruth}} Category:20th-century American women composers Category:20th-century American composers Category:1897 births Category:1971 deaths Category:American music educators Category:20th-century American educators Category:20th-century American women educators Category:Works Progress Administration administrators Category:New England Conservatory alumni Category:University of Rhode Island faculty Category:Bryant University faculty Category:American music critics Category:American women music critics