Forgotten Voices: Women Composers in Song / Margarete Schweikert (Part One)

Presented in association with SWAP’ra

This year’s Spring Song focuses on women composers, the countless gifted figures who vanished from our recital stages. Over the course of four lecture-recitals, with an array of exceptional artists curated and led by the ever-brilliant Natasha Loges, we will celebrate and explore songs by four composers: Hedwige Chrétien, Margarete Schweikert, Elizabeth Maconchy and Johanna Müller-Hermann, showing how their music both fitted into and challenged expectations of song composition in their day. We will also be launching the Forgotten Voices resources about women composers on the Oxford Lieder website.

Margarete Schweikert, 11.30am-12.30pm

Natasha Loges speaker
Kate Kennedy speaker
Harriet Burns mezzo-soprano
Keval Shah piano

Margarete Schweikert (1887-1957) began composing as a child and her works, including songs, had their first major outing at a concert when she was just 17. She wrote at least 160 songs, setting a wide range of poets. This lecture recital features songs by Schweikert, Richard Strauss and Hugo Wolf.

Elizabeth Maconchy, 4pm-5pm

Natasha Loges speaker
Kate Kennedy speaker
James Gilchrist tenor
Keval Shah piano

Denied a scholarship from the Royal College of Music for being a woman who ‘will only get married and never write another note’, Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994) became one of the most substantial and respected composers of her time, with a large and important body of songs. This lecture recital features songs by Maconchy and by Benjamin Britten.

SWAP'ra have received generous support from the Wavendon Foundation, the Golsoncott Foundation, the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust, The Winship Foundation, and the Royal Musical Association.

COVID POLICY

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