BaL 4.03.17 - Dame Ethel Smyth

[Nick Armstrong]

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... another free morning! yippee

Hasten back from the canal-side so as not to miss Francesca Caccini, Barbara Strozzi, Claudia Sessa and Lucrezia Vizzana!

[piano888]

I don't normally include releases with limited availability, but with so few recordings of this composer's music, perhaps this one should be encouraged, so I've added it to the list.

I don't quite follow what you mean by limited availability? It's readily available through Retrospect Opera's website, and via Amazon, and I know someone got a copy from Foyle's in London - so I'm slightly puzzled - what am I missing?

[french frank]

I don't quite follow what you mean by limited availability?

Perhaps 'limited distribution' rather than limited availability? (Welcome to the forum, by the way!)

[Beef Oven!]

0930
Building a Library survey on the music of Dame Ethel Smyth. As part of Radio 3's celebration of International Women's Day, Kate Kennedy explores the music of an underrated English composer and a member of the women's suffrage movement. Smyth showed tenacity and courage in pursuing her career as a composer at a time when this was an unusual path for women. Sir Thomas Beecham visited her when she was in prison for her political activities, and discovered her leaning out of a window conducting with a toothbrush as her fellow inmates marched around the prison yard.

Available recordings:

AUDITE

Mass in D for soloists, chorus, orchestra and organ
Catriona Smith (soprano), Helene Schneidermann (alto), Scott Mac Allister (tenor), Andreas Macco (bass) & Hermann Trefz (organ), Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen & Philharmonia Chor Stuttgart, Helmut Wolf


CHANDOS

The Boatswain's Mate: Overture
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rumon Gamba

Serenade in D
Concerto for violin, horn and orchestra
Sophie Langdon (violin), Richard Watkins (horn), BBC Philharmonic, Odaline de la Martinez


CPO

Complete piano works
Liana Serbescu (download)

String Quartet in E minor
String Quintet in E major, Op. 1
Joachim Griesheimer (cello), Mannheim String Quartet (download)


DUTTON

The Boatswain's Mate: Overture
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Ronald Corp


LORELT

String Quartet in E minor
Archaeus String Quartet


NAXOS

Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 7
Clare Howick (violin) & Sophia Rahman (piano)


PEARL

The Wreckers Overture
British Symphony Orchestra, Dame Ethel Smyth



RETROSPECT OPERA

The Boatswain's Mate
Nadine Benjamin, Edward Lee, Jeremy Huw Williams, Simon Wilding, Rebecca Louise Dale, Ted Schmitz, Lontano Ensemble, Odaline de la Martinez.


SYMPOSIUM
The Wreckers Overture (download)


TROUBADISC

Double Concerto in A for violin, horn & piano
Renate Eggbrecht-Kupsa (violin), Franz Draxinger (horn), Céline Dutilly (piano)
Four Songs for mezzo & chamber ensemble
Melinda Paulsen (mezzo soprano), Ethyl Smyth Ensemble
Three Songs for mezzo & piano
Melinda Paulsen (mezzo soprano), Angela Gassenhuber (piano)

Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 7
Fanny Mendelssohn Quartet

Lieder, Op. 4
Kelvin Grout (piano), Maarten Koningsberger (baritone)
Lieder und Balladen, Op. 3
Kelvin Grout (piano), Maarten Koningsberger (baritone)
Cello Sonata in C minor
Friedemann Kupsa (cello), Anna Silova (piano)
Moods of the Sea (3)
Kelvin Grout (piano), Maarten Koningsberger (baritone)


WARNER

Entente cordiale – Interlude
Light Symphony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Fête galante – Minuet
Light Symphony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult

The Wreckers - Overture
Scottish National Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson (download)


WHITELINE/PRESTO

Two Interlinked French Melodies
Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Gavin Sutherland






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The recording of the opera "The Wreckers" is no longer available.

Bump!

[pastoralguy]

This is interesting music. I wonder if an enterprising company like Naxos would take on her music.

[Beef Oven!]

A very absorbing programme on a composer of real quality. Agree with pastoral guy, would be good if Naxos took some of this forward.

[Bryn]

Perhaps 'limited distribution' rather than limited availability? (Welcome to the forum, by the way!)

Will the sales/distribution be aided or wrecked by next Thursday's broadcast of the recording in question in full?

[french frank]

Will the sales/distribution be aided or wrecked by next Thursday's broadcast of the recording in question in full?

If subsequent/consequent sales rocket, presumably distribution will follow suit …?

[Barbirollians]

Surprised no discussion of the lovely Serenade coupled on the Chandos disc with the concerto.

[piano888]

Where else would people expect The Boatswain's Mate to be distributed, given that it is readily available on Amazon, and according to Retrospect Opera's website, it can be shipped worldwide?

They have plans to record Smyth's Fête Galante too.