Hess, Myra (1890-1965), was an English pianist. She won fame for her performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Domenico Scarlatti, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Hess also transcribed many Baroque music compositions for piano. In 1939, when all of London’s concert halls were closed because of World War II, Hess established a series of weekday lunchtime concerts at the city’s National Gallery. She and other artists performed in the concerts. In 1941, King George VI named Hess Dame Commander in the Order of the British Empire as a reward for organizing the concert series. She became known as Dame Myra Hess.
Hess was born on Feb. 25, 1890, in London. At the age of 12, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. She made her debut in 1907 in London. Hess performed widely in Europe and North America. She made her United States debut in 1922 in New York City. She died on Nov. 25, 1965.
