Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Digging for Britain

Maconchy is forced to shift her priorities from music to the war effort. With Kate Molleson.

Maconchy is forced to shift her priorities from music to the war effort.

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, Britain goes to war. Musical activities in London grind to a halt, and several important performances of Maconchy鈥檚 music are cancelled. Meanwhile, our composer struggles to cope with a new born baby, and a home that now sits under the flight path of the German bombers.

Nocturne
麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Tadaaki Otaka

Dialogue for Piano and Orchestra: II. Allegro moderato & IV. Presto
Martin Jones, piano
麻豆社 Concert Orchestra conducted by John Andrews

Two Dances from Puck Fair
麻豆社 Concert Orchestra, conducted by Barry Wordsworth

String Quartet No 5: II. Presto & III. Lento espressivo
Bingham String Quartet

Concertino for Bassoon and String Orchestra
Laurence Perkins, bassoon
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by William Goodchild

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    Nocturne

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Tadaaki Otaka.
  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    Dialogue (2nd & 4th mvts)

    Performer: Martin Jones. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Maconchy, Lutyens & Wallen: Works for Piano and Orchestra.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 2.
  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    Two Dances from Puck Fair

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    String Quartet No 5 (2md & 3rd mts)

    Ensemble: Bingham String Quartet.
    • UNICORN-KANCHANA : DKP-9081.
    • UNICORN-KANCHANA.
    • 1.
  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    Concertino for bassoon and string orchestra

    Performer: Laurence Perkins. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William Goodchild.
    • HYPERION : CDA-68371-2.
    • HYPERION.
    • 19.

Broadcast

  • Wed 15 May 2024 16:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time 鈥 why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.