Dame Julia Myra Hess, DBE (25 February 1890 – 25 November 1965) was an English pianist best known for her performances of the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and Brahms.

After her American debut in New York City on 24 January 1922, Hess became a favourite in the United States, as both a soloist and ensemble player.

Promising young performers (such as Eiluned Davies, who gave the UK premiere of Shostakovich's Piano Sonata, Op.

[4] For this contribution to maintaining the morale of the populace of London, King George VI created her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1941.

)[11] Hess's lunchtime concerts influenced the formation of the City Music Society, according to the organisation's website.

[12] In 1946, Arturo Toscanini invited Hess to perform with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in New York City.

2 with Bruno Walter and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in February 1951, with the solo cello performed by Leonard Rose.

She also played a good amount of chamber music and performed in a piano duo with Irene Scharrer who was her cousin.

Each of these movements takes its text from a verse of the hymn Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne by Martin Janus (or Jahn).

Her arrangement was published under the title Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring,[19] which is a rough translation of the name of this hymn, although the line does not itself appear in Bach's cantata.

In September 1961, Hess played her final public concert at London's Royal Festival Hall.