麻豆约拍

Donald Macleod explores the world of Ethel Smyth through five love affairs

British composer Dame Ethel Smyth was one of the early 20th century鈥檚 most original cultural voices. A prodigious musical talent who was best known for her operas, she was a force of nature, an unapologetic eccentric who didn鈥檛 suffer fools gladly, and a rule-breaking, trail-blazing feminist. Alongside music, she was an accomplished sportswoman, and her driven and playful nature - as well as her endurance - would not only shape her career but her personal life too. This week, Donald Macleod explores Smyth鈥檚 story through what she termed her 鈥減assions鈥� 鈥� the key all-consuming relationships that changed the course of her life, and how they were a necessary force for her creativity.

Music Featured:

F锚te Galante (Overture/Sarabande)
Aus der Jugendzeit!
Kom, s眉sser Tod
Lieder, Op 4 No 2, Schlummerlied
Violin Sonata (3rd mvt, Romanze)
Variations on an Original Theme (of an Exceedingly Dismal Nature)
String Quintet, Op 1 (3rd-5th mvts)
Piano Suite in E major 2nd mvt, Bourree)
Piano Trio (3rd mvt, Scherzo)
4 Songs (No 2, The Dance)
Serenade in D major (3rd & 4th mvts)
Der Wald (excerpt)
The Wreckers Overture
Lieder, Op 4 No 4 鈥淣achtreiter鈥�
Klavierst眉ck in E major
Cello Sonata in C minor (1st & 2nd mvts)
The Wreckers, Act II (Prelude 鈥淥n the Cliffs of Cornwall鈥� (arr. for winds) )
Mass in D (Gloria)
F锚te Galante (excerpt)
Violin Sonata (2nd mvt)
March of the Women
The Boatswain鈥檚 Mate (excerpts)
Possession (Three Songs, No 2)
String Quartet in E minor (3rd & 4th mvts)
Soul鈥檚 Joy, Now I am Gone
Two Interlinked French Melodies from Entente Cordiale
Odelette (Four Songs, No 1)
Mass (Sanctus / Benedictus)
The Prison (Nos 14-16)
Double Concerto for Horn and Violin (2nd mvt, Elegy)

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Amelia Parker for 麻豆约拍 Audio Wales & West

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Ethel Smyth (1858-1944) /programmes/m00219n7

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we鈥檝e featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z