Expanding the Canon

7 June 2021

During these times when we have not been able to meet to sing, our MD has been providing us with lots of other activities to keep us busy. If you look back over our News Feed on the website you will find articles about daily listening posts he arranged for us in our half-term and other breaks. We have had a Choral Alphabet, from Kerry Andrew to Jan Dismas Zelenka (Summer 2020), a focus on Concertos for instruments other than violin, cello, and piano - Concerto for Ten (October 2020), a Christmas Choral Alphabet from Angelus ad pastores ait to Zoom Carol (December 2020), and an hourly set of 24 posts on International Women’s Day taking us through women composers in history, from Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) to Laura Mvula (b. 1986).

This half-term Lee was assisted by three of our Fridays at Four guests - Dr Leah Broad, Hannah Millington, and Dr Amy Zigler - who are all experts in the music of Dame Ethel Smyth. Alongside Lee, each selected one work by Smyth for members to hear, and one or two works by other women composers. Under the hashtag #ExpandingTheCanon, the series had ten daily posts via our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and shared by our MD’s other choirs in Huntingdon, Leamington Spa, and Wellingborough. The music was all non-choral, to open up wider listening and experiences.

Leah Broad’s Choices
		What if I were young again? from The Boatswain’s Mate (1913-14) Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
		Concerto for Piano and Strings (1948) Doreen Carwithen (1922-2003)
		Concerto for Cello and Strings (2008) Dobrinka Tabakova (b. 1980)

Hannah Millington’s Choices
		Sonata for Cello and Piano in C minor (1880) Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
		Symphony No. 4 (1850-51) Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)

Amy Zigler’s Choices
		String Quartet in E minor (1902, rev. 1912) Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
		Soirées musicales (1836) Clara Schumann (1819-1896)

Lee Dunleavy’s Choices
		Overture from The Wreckers (1902-1904) Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
		Violin Sonata in G minor (1945) Helvi Leiviskä (1902-1982)
		Bukoolika (1983) Esther Mägi (1922-2021)