Composer of the Week

Donald Macleod uncovers the story and prolific output of American composer Florence Price.

Florence Price became a highly successful classical composer, organist, pianist and teacher of music during the twentieth century in America. She was the first African-American woman to be recognised as a composer of symphonic music, and also the first African-American woman to have her works performed by one of the world’s leading orchestras. In collaboration with the Arts and Humanities Research Council, BBC Radio 3 launched the Forgotten Women Composers Project. Championed by the composer and educator Shirley Thompson, Florence Price became a particular focus for the project. Scores by Florence Price were located and recorded by BBC Orchestras and Choirs. It will be the first time Florence Price has been featured on Composer of the Week, and the series is supplemented by many specially recorded works. Over the course of the episode, we’ll hear about the impact racial prejudice and marriage had on her life and career, her battles for recognition, ultimate fame, and her prolific output, despite health issues late in life.

Music featured: The Deserted Garden Sonata in E minor (Andante – Allegro) Suite for Organ No 1 (Fughetta and Air) The Oak Violin Concerto No 2 My Dream Cotton Dance The Old Boatman The Moon Bridge My Soul’s been anchored in the Lord Symphony No 1 in E minor Song for Snow Sinner Don’t Let This Harvest Pass Poem of Praise Piano Concerto in D minor Dances in the Canebrakes Suite for Organ No 1 (Toccata) Sonata in E minor (Andante) Sympathy The Glory of the day was in her face Resignation Symphony No 3 The Goblin and the Mosquito Concert Overture No 2 Five Folksongs in Counterpoint (Drink to me only with thine eyes) Night My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Violin Concerto No 1 in D major

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, 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 Florence Price https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fwf0

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

Between new sounds and old songs, Kate Molleson shares the story of Ruth Crawford-Seeger

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) had multiple lives. As Ruth, she was an aspiring poet and teacher, who longed to become a mother. Crawford the composer wrote some of the most daring pages of 20th-century American music, granting her a place among the group of the 'Ultra-Modernists'. And, as the matriarch of the Seeger dynasty, she collected and arranged countless pieces from treasures of the folk tradition. With Kate Molleson, discover the extraordinary life and work of a major American composer, in a story of creative experimentations, of family bonds, and most of all, of joy in music-making, accompanied by the memories of Crawford's daughter and folk legend, Peggy Seeger.

Music Featured:

Little Waltz Five Songs to Poems by Carl Sandburg (1, Home Thoughts; 2, White Moon) Theme and Variations Selection from American Folk Songs for Children Diaphonic Suite No 2 for bassoon and cello Kaleidoscopic Changes on an Original Theme, Ending with a Fugue Diaphonic Suite No 3 for Flute Whirligig Preludes for Piano Caprice Sonata for Violin and Piano Trad: Prisoner Blues Music for Small Orchestra Marion Bauer: Four Piano Pieces Selection from 19 American Folk Songs for piano Three Songs to poems by Carl Sandburg Diaphonic Suite No 4 for oboe and violoncello Three Chants for Female Chorus String Quartet Diaphonic Suite No 1 for oboe Selection from Animal Folk Songs for Children Preludes for Piano Two Ricercare to poems by Hsi Tseng Tsiang Peggy Seeger: How I Long For Peace Selection from American Folk Songs for Christmas Andante for strings Trad: "New River Train” Trad: "Midnight Special" Trad: "Irene (Goodnight, Irene)" Charles Seeger: John Hardy Piano Study in Mixed Accents Suite No 1, for five wind instruments and piano Elizabeth Cotten: "Freight Train" Rissolty, Rossolty Piano Sonata Diaphonic Suite for two clarinets Piano Study in Mixed Accents (Version 3) Suite for Wind Quintet Five Canons, for piano Peggy Seeger: "Everything Changes"

Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Julien Rosa 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 Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028k1v

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

Donald Macleod explores the early years in Benjamin Britten's creative story

Benjamin Britten was one of the most influential British composers of the 20th century, with celebrated works such as 'Peter Grimes', 'Friday Afternoons' or 'A Simple Symphony'. Music infused his very first moments in life and he started to develop his musical instincts from a very early age. Many of his future masterpieces can be traced back to the inspiration of his youth. This week, Donald Macleod explores these crucial early years in Britten's creative story, from his birth under the star of St Cecilia to his departure for America at 25 years old.

Music featured:

Hymn to St Cecilia, Op 27 Four Sea Interludes, Op 33a (from 'Peter Grimes') A Charm of Lullabies, Op 41 (arr for voice and orchestra by Colin Matthews) Five Waltzes Beware! Three Early Songs (No 1, 'Beware') On This Island, Op 11 (No 3, 'Seascape') Psalm 150, Op 67 Quatre chansons françaises Suite for harp in C major, Op 83 A Hymn to the Virgin A Walden Trio: Christmas Song of the Women The Birds Twelve Variations on a Theme, for piano Three Divertimenti for String Quartet (2nd mvt) Sinfonietta, Op 1 (1st mvt) Phantasy, Op 2, for oboe, violin, viola and violoncello (1st & 2nd mvt) Holiday Diary, Op 5 A Boy Was Born, Op 3 (Variation I, 'Lullay, Jesu') Simple Symphony, Op 4 Mont Juic (co-composed with Lennox Berkeley) (4th mvt) Friday Afternoons (excerpts) Suite for Violin and Piano, Op 6 (3rd & 4th mvts) Train Sequence, from 'The King's Stamp' Percussion Sequence, from 'Night Mail' (text by W.H. Auden) Love Music, from 'Love from a Stranger' Russian Funeral Soirées musicales, Op 9 Lullaby for a retired colonel' A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op 64 (excerpt) Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op 10 The Company of Heaven ( Part 3, No 7, ‘A Thousand, Thousand Gleaming Fires’) Piano Concerto, Op 13 (1st mvt) Les Illuminations, Op 18 (on poems by Arthur Rimbaud)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Julien Rosa for BBC 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 Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027tjp 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

Donald Macleod explores Bach's vocal music.