Unfortunately, very little information can be found about the English pianist/teacher, Annette Hullah. Apart from an English newspaper having announced her return from Vienna, in 1893, following the completion of her studies with Theodor Leschetizky and the publication of an American newspaper having referred to her as “young” in 1902, one estimates that she was born in the 1870s.

Annette Hullah was the daughter of the famed English organist, teacher and composer, Sir John Pyke Hullah (1812-84). Interestingly, Hullah’s father knew Charles Dickens, the latter having wrote a failed comic opera entitled, The Village Coquettes for which the former was to have composed the music. Years later (ca. 1930) Hullah sold the letters that were written to her father by Dickens. Hullah's mother was Frances Rosser Hullah.

In addition to being a student of Leschetizky (one of the most famous and legendary piano teachers of all time) Hullah was one of his teaching assistants and, judging by her book, Theodor Leschetizky it appears as though she had a firm grasp of the teaching principles of her master. Published in 1906 as part of the “Living Masters of Music Series” by John Lane Company, Hullah’s short book serves more as biography than memoir. A few personal stories do pepper the text and make for an enjoyable read, particularly when read alongside Leschetizky As I Knew Him written by Hullah’s classmate, Ethel Newcomb. (The first seventeen episodes of this podcast are devoted to the book.)

Following her return to England in 1893, Hullah apparently taught piano and performed, although no major tours or orchestral debuts appear to have been documented and it is not known whether or not she made any recordings. Following some health issues, particularly with regards to weak lungs, Hullah resided for some time in California at the turn of the century. Her health having been improved by the weather, she later returned to England where she secured a wealthy patron.

It is interesting to note that during Hullah’s time in California, she performed both solo and chamber music in and around San Francisco and was frequently the guest at the teas, suppers and musicales of noted individuals, including Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Magee. Magee had been a millionaire property owner and was a retired real estate broker when he died in 1902 at the age of seventy.

While there exists very little biographical information about Hullah, one thing that evidently did not go unnoticed was her looks, numerous reporters having described her physical attributes in accounts such as: “Her head reminds you of Du Maurier’s Women…” Not unlike the Polish pianist, Ignacy Jan Paderewski (another pupil of Leschetizky) Hullah’s hair was described as having reminded one of the pre-Raphaelite faces painted by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Another reporter wrote that Hullah “looks like an angel when she plays, for she has a halo of bright gold hair which is really much like an aureole, and her face is decidedly spirituelle.” Hullah was also frequently described as that “fascinating little English girl,” or the “pretty little English pianist with the aureole of bright hair” and that “dainty and charming little lady.”

As for her character, Hullah has been described as being of the “scholarly, academic, logical school – an intellectual rather than emotional conception” and it has been said that her distinguishing characteristics were “an admirable conscientiousness, considerable technical attainment and unusual poise.” As a pianist, she was said to have played “exceedingly well.”

Hullah also wrote A Little History of Music.