大象传媒

Depressed and disenchanted, Maconchy is forced to contemplate her artistic choices and decide if it鈥檚 time to make a change.

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鈥檚 biographer, Erica Siegel, who joins Kate Molleson to explore the life and works of this key figure in Britain and Ireland鈥檚 musical story. Across the week, Kate and Erica set out to show us why Maconchy deserves much more of our attention. We鈥檒l 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 鈥渋mpassioned argument鈥�.

Today, Maconchy scores a hit with her patriotic overture celebrating Queen Elizabeth鈥檚 coronation. Nevertheless, she find herself afflicted by a creeping disillusionment. She decides that a drastic change of direction is needed to renew her creative spark and seeks inspiration in a surprising place. Many of her friends are baffled when she unveils her new opera: a bawdy sex comedy!

String Quartet No 7: IV. Scherzo I
Bingham String Quartet

Proud Thames Overture
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley

The Sofa (excerpts)
Nicholas Sharratt, tenor (Dominic)
Sarah Tynan, soprano (Monique)
George von Bergen, baritone (Edward)
Independent Opera
Independent Opera Ensemble, conducted by Dominic Wheeler

The Departure (excerpts)
Louise Poole, mezzo-soprano (Julia)
H氓kon Vramsmo, baritone (Mark)
Independent Opera
Independent Opera Ensemble, conducted by Dominic Wheeler

Serenata Concertante
Manoug Parikian, violin
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vernon Handley