Leonora Speyer

Leonora Speyer (birth name: Leonora von Stosch, born November 7, 1872 in Washington, DC; † February 10, 1956 in New York City ) was an American violinist and poet, in 1927 for her book of poems Fiddler's Farewell the Pulitzer Prize for poetry received.

Life

Leonora von Stosch came from a Silesian noble family and studied post-school music and violin at conservatories in Paris, Brussels and Leipzig. She then played in orchestras under the baton of conductor Arthur Nikisch and Anton Seidl. In 1902, she married second husband, the banker and later chairman of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, Edward Speyer, and lived with this until 1915 in London.

Made her literary debut in 1921 with the book Canopic Car and wrote 1923 American Poets: An anthology of contemporary verse. Her best known work was a collection of poems Fiddler's Farewell ( 1926) for which she was awarded the 1927 Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

Her later books include Naked Heel ( 1931) and Slow wall, new & selected poems ( 1931).

Publications

• Canopic Car, 1921
• American Poets: An anthology of contemporary verse, 1923
• Fiddler's Farewell, 1926
• Naked Heel, 1931
• Slow wall, new & selected poems, 1939
• Slow wall, 1946
• Slow wall, poems, 1951