Edith Mary Swepstone (4 January 1862 – 5 February 1942)[citation needed] was an English composer[1] and music teacher. She was born in Stepney, London, the daughter of a London solicitor.[2] She studied music at the Guildhall School and later worked as a lecturer at the City of London School.[3] She died in Tonbridge, Kent.[4]
Edith Mary Swepstone | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 January 1862 |
| Died | 5 February 1942 |
| Alma mater | Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, teacher of music |
| Employer | City of London School |
Career
editShe studied music at the Guildhall School in London, England[3] and later worked as a lecturer at the City of London School.[5] In 1895 she was giving music lectures at the City School of London.[2]
As a composer, Swepstone wrote early 20th-century orchestral music, chamber music, and songs.[2] During the first quarter of the 20th century, she had many of her orchestral works performed by the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, the most by a single composer.[2] Though the music is not located, 14 of Swepstone’s orchestral works were presented in a total of 24 performances, between 1899 and 1933. There are only two recorded instances of her orchestra music having been performed elsewhere; in March 1887 at Leyton (a movement from Symphony in G minor), and in February 1897 at Queen's Hall in London (Les Tenebres).[2]
At the South Place Concert Series, a weekly chamber music concert series in London, between 1887–1987, 1,121 works were performed and women composers make up for only 13 of those compositions.[2] Swepstone’s Piano Quintet in E minor was performed a total of four times at the concert series.[6] Swepstone’s influence is apparent in that, of all the pieces played at the series and written by women, over half were her compositions.[2]
In total, seven of her chamber music compositions were performed at the series.[2] In addition to Piano Quintet E Minor, played four times, the following works were each performed once: Quintet D Hn & String Quartet, Quintet E-flat Pf and Wind, String Quartet Lyrical Cycle, Piano Trio D minor, Piano Trio G minor, Piano Trio A minor.[2]
Works
editSwepstone wrote chamber music, and also songs and choral music. Selected works include:[7]
- The Four Ships
- Foreshadowings
- A Song of Twilight with A.R. Aldrich
- Symphony in G minor
- Robert Louis Stevenson's Songs for Children Set to Music
- Three-Part Song for female voices, with Pianoforte Accompaniment, words by F.R. Haverga
- Les Tenebres overture
- Honour March
- Lament, for Violin and Piano
- The Crocuses' Lament, Two-Part Song for female voices
- Requiem for Violoncello and Piano
- A Song of Twilight with A.R. Aldrich
- Robert Louis Stevenson's Songs for Children Set to Music
- Three-Part Song for female voices, with Pianoforte Accompaniment, words by F.R. Haverga
- The Crocuses' Lament, Two-Part Song for female voices
- The Ice Queen, cantata, female voice
- Idylls of the Morn, cantata, female voice
Orchestral works
- Daramona, symphonic poem, 1899
- The Ice Maiden, suite, 1900
- Symphony in G minor, 1902
- Les Tenebres overture, 1903
- Paolo and Francesca, prelude, 1904
- Mors Janua Vitae, funeral march, 1906
- The Wind in the Pines, symphonic poem, 1909
- The Horn of Roland, overture, 1910
- Moonrise on the Mountains, symphonic poem, 1912
- Woods in April, symphonic poem, 1914
- The Roll of Honour, march, 1916
- Morte d’Arthur, symphonic poem, 1920
- The Four Ships, suite, 1927
Chamber works
- Piano Quintet in F minor
- Piano Quintet in E minor
- Quintet D Hn & String Quartet
- Quintet in E flat, Piano and Wind
- String Quartet Lyrical Cycle
- Piano Trio D minor
- Piano Trio G minor
- Piano Trio A minor
- Une Larme, for clarinet and piano[8]
Other works
- Lament, for Violin and Piano
- Requiem for Violoncello and Piano
- Foreshadowings, with violoncello accompaniment
References
edit- ^ Haight, Gordon S.; VanArsdel, Rosemary T., eds. (1982). George Eliot, a centenary tribute. Internet Archive. Totowa, N.J. : Barnes & Noble. ISBN 978-0-389-20252-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Beck, Jessica Claire (2018). The women musicians of South Place Ethical Society, 1887-1927 (Ph.D. thesis). Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with Conway Hall Ethical Society.
- ^ a b Foreman, Lewis (2018). "Swepstone, Edith". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.2021378. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995. 1942. p. 474.
- ^ Hyde, Derek (1998). New found voices : women in nineteenth century English music. Internet Archive. Aldershot ; Brookfield, Vt., USA : Ashgate. ISBN 978-1-85928-349-3.
- ^ Elson, Arthur (1904). Woman's work in music; being an account of her influence on the art, in ancient as well as modern times; a summary of her musical compositions, in the different countries of the civilized world; and an estimate of their rank in comparison with those of men. Music - University of Toronto. Boston, L.C. Page.
- ^ "'Edith Swepstone' [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ recorded by John Bradbury and Ian Buckle, MPR 117 (2024)