Amanda Maier: Violin Sonata in B Minor Context Born in the Swedish town of Landskrona in 1853, Amanda Maier began her musical studies from a young age. Her father was a violinist and pianist, and so Maier learned from him in the first instance. Maier went on to study at Read more…
Rosy Wertheim: String Quartet Context The Dutch composer, Rosy Wertheim (1888-1949), was one of the first female composers who completed her professional music education and garnered some international acclaim for her music. Although spending the start and end of her life in her homeland of the Netherlands, Wertheim travelled all Read more…
Lili Boulanger: Nocturne Context Born on 21st August 1893 in Paris, Lili Boulanger was considered at a young age as a musical child prodigy. This was perhaps not too surprising for the Boulanger family, with her mother and grandmother being singers, her elder sister Nadia being a composer and educator, Read more…
Helvi Leiviskä: Symphony No.3 Context Helvi Leiviskä studied at the Sibelius Academy during her younger years, and then continued her musical studies in Vienna, before returning back to her homeland. As well as being a composer, Leiviskä was also a librarian and music teacher – both at the Sibelius Academy. Read more…
Vítĕzslava Kaprálová: Elegy Context Vítĕzslava Kaprálová (1915-1940) was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, to musical parents. By age 9, Kaprálová was composing her own music after learning with her parents at home. In 1930, Kaprálová was offered a place to study at Brno Conservatory, where she studied composition, choral and orchestral Read more…
Nadia Boulanger: 3 Pieces for Cello & Piano Context Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) is fondly remembered as being a leading French composer, conductor and pedagogue of the 20th century. Her pupil list over her teaching years include the likes of Daniel Barenboim, Aaron Copland, Philip Glass, Quincy Jones and Astor Piazzolla. Read more…
Miriam Hyde: Piano Concerto No.1 Context Composed in 1933 when she was just 20 years old, Miriam Hyde’s Piano Concerto No.1 was structured from a similar work that was for two pianos. Hailing from Adelaide, Australia, Hyde moved to London in 1932 to study at the Royal College of Music. Read more…
Ethel Smyth: Cello Sonata Context Dame Ethel Smyth is one of the most important British composers that bridged the gap between the 19th and 20th centuries. She composed a number of orchestral works, chamber music, songs and six operas. Also a talented writer, Smyth also penned 9 books (in 10 Read more…
Rachel Portman: Belle Main Titles Context Based on the 1779 painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle, Belle is a 2013 British period drama film that was directed by Amma Asante. Not much was known about Dido Belle’s life, but we do know that she was born in the West Indies and Read more…
Ethel Smyth: The Wreckers Overture Context Composed and premiered in 1906, The Wreckers is one of Dame Ethel Smyth’s most intriguing operas. The original libretto was in French and was written by Henry Brewster. Smyth tried hard to get a French performance of the opera, however the first performance was Read more…