Short bio Ethel Smyth
Full biography Ethel Smyth
Ethel Smyth was a British composer, feminist, and suffragette who lived from 1858 to 1944. She was born into a wealthy family and showed a talent for music from a young age, but her parents did not support her musical ambitions. Despite this, Smyth persisted and studied music in Germany, where she began to gain recognition for her talents.
Smyth's music was heavily influenced by the Romantic era, and she was particularly skilled in composing for the operatic stage. Her most famous work is the opera "The Wreckers," which tells the story of a village that lures ships onto the rocks in order to plunder them. The opera was a critical and popular success and established Smyth as a major composer in Europe.
In addition to her musical accomplishments, Smyth was also an outspoken feminist and suffragette. She was imprisoned several times for her activism, and even wrote a song titled "The March of the Women," which became an anthem for the women's suffrage movement in England.
Despite facing discrimination and lack of support throughout her career, Ethel Smyth became a powerful voice for women in music and society. Her legacy is one of perseverance and courage in the face of adversity, and her contributions continue to inspire generations of musicians and activists today.
Compositions featuring Ethel Smyth
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Prison, for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra | 63:53 min | Choral | 1929 |
| 2 | The Prison, for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra | 63:53 min | Choral | 1929 |
| 3 | Trio for horn, violin & piano | 27:27 min | Chamber Music | 1928 |
| 4 | Concerto for violin, horn & orchestra | 27:14 min | Concerto | 1927 |
| 5 | The Boatswain's Mate, opera | Opera | 1913 | |
| 6 | Songs (3) for mezzo-soprano & piano | 14:06 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 7 | The March of the Women, for orchestra ("Suffragettes March") | 3:25 min | Orchestral | 1911 |
| 8 | Songs (4) for mezzo-soprano & chamber ensemble | 20:20 min | Vocal Music | 1907 |
| 9 | The Wreckers, opera | Opera | 1906 | |
| 10 | String Quartet in E minor | 41:10 min | Chamber Music | 1902 |
| 11 | Der Wald, opera | 66:17 min | Opera | 1899 |
| 12 | Mass for soloists, chorus & orchestra in D major | 61:50 min | Choral | 1891 |
| 13 | Serenade in D, for orchestra | 35:39 min | Orchestral | 1890 |
| 14 | Sonata for cello & piano in A minor, Op. 5 | 19:33 min | Chamber Music | 1887 |
| 15 | Quintet for 2 violins, viola & 2 cellos in E major, Op. 1 | 26:30 min | Chamber Music | 1884 |
| 16 | String Quartet in C minor | 34:06 min | Chamber Music | 1881 |
| 17 | Prelude & fugue in F sharp major | 8:10 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1880 |
| 18 | Sonata for cello & piano in C minor | 28:06 min | Chamber Music | 1880 |
| 19 | Variations in D flat major on an Original Theme | 21:31 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1878 |
| 20 | Aus der Jugendzeit! (To Youth!) | 1:57 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1878 |
| 21 | Sonata for piano, No 2 in F sharp minor | 23:02 min | Keyboard | 1877 |
| 22 | Sonata for piano, No 1 in C major | 20:30 min | Keyboard | 1877 |
| 23 | Sonata for piano, No 3 in D major | 9:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 24 | Sonata for violin & piano in A minor, Op 7 | 27:26 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 25 | Prelude and Fugue for organ "O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid" | 6:03 min | Keyboard | - |
| 26 | Prelude & fugue in C major | 9:44 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 27 | Suite in E major | 5:59 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 28 | Piece for piano in E major | 4:06 min | Keyboard | - |
| 29 | Piano Trio in D minor | Chamber Music | - | |
| 30 | O Gott du frommer Gott | 3:20 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 31 | Invention in D major | 1:27 min | Keyboard | - |
| 32 | Four-part dances (4) | 10:05 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 33 | Entente Cordiale, opera | Opera | - | |
| 34 | Two Interlinked French Melodies, for orchestra | 4:34 min | Orchestral | - |
| 35 | Canons (2) | 3:53 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
Albums featuring Ethel Smyth
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Ethel Smyth • Susan Spain-Dunk • Constance Warren • Ruth Gipps - Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim • Douglas Bostock – British Music For Strings III(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2021 | |
| 2 |  |
Elfrida Andrée, Mel Bonis, Ethel Smyth - Annette-Barbara Vogel, Durval Cesetti – First Ladies (Three Romantic Violin Sonatas)(CD, Album) | 2021 | Toccata Next |
| 3 |  |
Amanda Maier, Ethel Smyth, The Maier Quartet – Rendezvous: Leipzig | 2020 | DB Productions (5) |
| 4 |  |
Dame Ethel Smyth, Lucy Stevens (3), Elizabeth Marcus, Berkeley Ensemble, Odaline De La Martinez – Songs And Ballads(CD, Album) | 2020 | Somm Recordings |
| 5 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Sarah Brailey, Dashon Burton, Experiential Orchestra And Chorus, James Blachly – The Prison(SACD, Multichannel, Album) | 2020 | Chandos |
| 6 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Liza Lehmann – Ethel Smyth - Fête Galante(CD, Stereo) | 2019 | Retrospect Opera |
| 7 |  |
Amy Beach, Ulric Cole & Ethel Smyth – They Persisted(CD, Album) | 2019 | Centaur Records |
| 8 |  |
Tasmin Little, John Lenehan - Clara Schumann / Dame Ethel Smyth / Amy Beach – Tasmin Little Plays Clara Schumann, Dame Ethel Smyth, Amy Beach(CD, Album) | 2019 | Chandos |
| 9 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Bohuslav Martinů – EntArte Opera Festival: Violinkonzert Und Doppelkonzerte(SACD, Multichannel, Album) | 2018 | Gramola |
| 10 |  |
Samuel Barber, Amy Beach, Ethyl Smyth, Gershwin, Elena Urioste – Samuel Barber Violin Concerto Plus Violin Works By Amy Beach, Ethyl Smyth And Gershwin(CD, ) | 2017 | BBC Music Magazine |
| 11 |  |
Ethel Smyth - Nadine Benjamin, Edward Lee (3), Jeremy Huw Williams, Lontano Ensemble, Odaline De La Martinez – The Boatswain's Mate(2×CD, Album) | 2016 | Retrospect Opera |
| 12 |  |
Smyth, Maconchy, Poldowski, Tate, Barns, Clare Howick, Sophia Rahman – British Women Composers(CD, Album) | 2010 | Naxos |
| 13 |  |
Smyth, Beach and Spain-Dunk - Archaeus String Quartet – Smyth, Beach And Spain-Dunk(CD, Album) | 2003 | Lorelt |
| 14 |  |
Paul Lewis (4), Peter Hope (2), César Franck, Peter Warlock, Joseph Jongen, Charles Lecocq, Jean Gabriel-Marie, Dame Ethel Smyth - City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Gavin Sutherland (3) – Entente Cordiale: Light Classics(CD, Album) | 2003 | White Line |
| 15 |  |
Othmar Schoeck, Charles Koechlin, Ethel Smyth, Marie Luise Neunecker – Horn Concertos(CD, Album) | 1998 | Koch Schwann |
| 16 |  |
Ethel Smyth - Maarten Koningsberger, Kelvin Grout, Friedemann Kupsa, Anna Šilova – Kammermusik & Lieder Vol. 4(CD, Album) | 1997 | Troubadisc (2) |
| 17 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Philharmonia Chor Stuttgart, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Helmut Wolf (2) – Mass In D(CD, Album) | 1997 | Audite |
| 18 |  |
Sir Adrian Boult - Vaughan Williams, Bliss, Ethel Smyth, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Light Symphony Orchestra – Sir Adrian Boult Conducts English Gramophone Premières(CD, Compilation) | 1996 | Dutton Laboratories Ltd |
| 19 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Sophie Langdon, Richard Watkins, BBC Philharmonic, Odaline De La Martinez – Concerto For Violin, Horn & Orchestra • Serenade(CD, Stereo) | 1996 | Chandos |
| 20 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Chagall Trio – Impressions That Remain(CD, Stereo) | 1995 | Meridian (2) |
| 21 |  |
Ethel Smyth - Liana Serbescu – Complete Piano Works(2×CD, Stereo) | 1995 | cpo |
| 22 |  |
Ethel Smyth - Anne-Marie Owens • Justin Lavender • Peter Sidhom (2) • David Wilson-Johnson • Judith Howarth • Anthony Roden • Brian Bannatyne-Scott • Annemarie Sand • Huddersfield Choral Society, BBC Philharmonic • Odaline De La Martinez – The Wreckers | 1994 | Conifer Classics |
| 23 |  |
Ethel Smyth - Melinda Paulsen, Renate Eggebrecht-Kupsa, Franz Draxinger – Kammermusik & Lieder Vol. III(CD, Album) | 1992 | Troubadisc (2) |
| 24 |  |
Ethel Smyth, Eiddwen Harrhy, Plymouth Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Philip Brunelle – Mass In D(CD, ) | 1991 | Virgin Classics |
| 25 |  |
The Wreckers(2×LP) | - | Rare Recorded Editions |
Videos featuring Ethel Smyth
Heather Hill for String Orchestra
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Heather Hill for String Orchestra · Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim · Douglas Bostock
British Music for Strings, Vol. 3
℗ 2021 CPO
Released on: 2021-10-22
Orchestra: Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester
String Quartet in E Minor: I. Allegretto lirico
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quartet in E Minor: I. Allegretto lirico · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Ensemble: Mannheimer Streichquartett
Composer: Ethel Smy
String Quartet in E Minor: II. Allegro molto leggiero
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quartet in E Minor: II. Allegro molto leggiero · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Ensemble: Mannheimer Streichquartett
Composer: Eth
Suite for Strings, Op. 1a: I. Allegro con brio
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Suite for Strings, Op. 1a: I. Allegro con brio · Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim · Douglas Bostock
British Music for Strings, Vol. 3
℗ 2021 CPO
Released on: 2021-10-22
Orchestra: Südwestdeutsches Kam
String Quartet in E Minor: III. Andante
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quartet in E Minor: III. Andante · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Ensemble: Mannheimer Streichquartett
Composer: Ethel Smyth
Auto
String Quartet in E Minor: IV. Allegro energico
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quartet in E Minor: IV. Allegro energico · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Ensemble: Mannheimer Streichquartett
Composer: Ethel Smy
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: I. Allegro con brio
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: I. Allegro con brio · Joachim Griesheimer · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Artist: Joachim Griesheimer
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: II. Andantino poco allegretto
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: II. Andantino poco allegretto · Joachim Griesheimer · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Artist: Joachim G
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace · Joachim Griesheimer · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Artist: Joachim Gr
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: IV. Adagio con moto
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: IV. Adagio con moto · Joachim Griesheimer · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Artist: Joachim Griesheimer
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: V. Allegro molto
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
String Quintet in E Major, Op. 1: V. Allegro molto · Joachim Griesheimer · Mannheimer Streichquartett
Smyth: String Quartet - String Quintet
℗ 2000 CPO
Released on: 2000-01-01
Artist: Joachim Griesheimer
En
Leave a Reply