RAMSBOTTOM RECORDED MUSIC SOCIETY
‘LADIES Night’: The third movement from the Symphony in C major (composed by Alice Mary Smith) opened the evenings program entitled Ladies Night, which was presented by guest speaker Derek Haslam (Chairman of Nelson Gramophone Society).
As the titled indicated, it was a programme dedicated to the works of some of the world’s most influential female composers throughout the centuries.
Writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, polymath, visionary – these accolades were bestowed on one woman, Hildegard of Bingen, who was raised from the age of seven in a Benedictine monastery and where she would remain until her death in 1179.
Her music still lives on though and one of her choral songs ‘O pulchare facies’ (You beautiful faces), was chosen for the second piece of the evening.
Fanny Mendelssohn was a child musical prodigy, who had an equally gifted elder brother.
She had to suffer the indignity of being told by her father that for her, ‘music must only be an ornament’, while for her brother Felix ‘music will perhaps become his profession’.
The second movement of her charming piano trio in D minor was played, and gave the audience an idea of what might have been were she encouraged to pursue a musical career.
Things didn’t improve greatly for females even in the early 20th century, and composers such as Doreen Carwithen, Thea Musgrave, Alice Mary Smith and Minna Keal were being constantly knocked back either by lack of encouragement or recognition.
Recordings were chosen from all five of the aforementioned, and varied from full symphonic works (Musgrave, Beach and Smith) to smaller works such as Keal’s String Quartet and Carwithen’s Concerto for piano and strings.
Derek bought his programme to a close by featuring the American composer Jennifer Higdon, a composer who it seems has broken down the barriers of sexual inequality and is recognised as perhaps the most important American composer today.
Her Concerto for Orchestra (4th and 5th movements) bought to an end a thoroughly enjoyable and well presented musical evening.
The next meeting will be held on October 13. Further details can be obtained by contacting Richard W Hall on 01706 823490 or email Richard.w@hall45.eclipse.co.uk.