Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994)

Kate Molleson sets out so show us why Elizabeth Maconchy deserves
much more of our attention


Elizabeth Maconchy is surely the greatest composer of string
quartets ever to emerge in the British Isles; and yet her music
is often ignored in favour of lesser works by more famous British
composers. So says Maconchy’s biographer, Erica Siegel, who joins
Kate Molleson to explore the life and works of this key figure in
Britain and Ireland’s musical story. Across the week, Kate and
Erica set out to show us why Maconchy deserves much more of our
attention. We’ll hear stories of personal crises, public apathy
and outrageous institutional sexism, and how Maconchy met each
challenge with characteristic grace and perseverance. Her works
fizz with invention and purpose and she described her own music
as “impassioned argument”.


Music Featured:


String Quartet No 2 (4th mvt) Clarinet Quintet (3rd & 4th
mvt) Four Shakespeare Songs (No 1, Come Away, Death) The Land - A
Suite for Orchestra Concertino No 2 for Piano and String
Orchestra String Quartet No 1 (4th mvt) Concertino for Piano and
Chamber Orchestra (2nd mvt) Oboe Quintet Sonata for Viola and
Piano String Quartet No 3 Nocturne Dialogue for Piano and
Orchestra (2nd & 4 mvts) Two Dances from Puck Fair String
Quartet No 5 (2nd & 3rd mvt) Concertino for Bassoon and
String Orchestra String Quartet No 7: (4th mvt, Scherzo I) Proud
Thames Overture The Sofa (excerpts) The Departure (excerpts)
Serenata Concertante There is no rose Trittico Epyllion Morning,
Noon and Night String Quartet No 13 'Quartetto Corto'


Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio
Wales and 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 Elizabeth Maconchy
(1907-1994) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yyf6


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