Ethel Smyth Serenade in D

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Joshua Weilerstein

Clarinet, Timpani, Performing, Trombone, Cello, Trumpet, Bassoon, Classicalmusic, Performing Arts, Arts, Violin, Flute, Piano, Conductor, Music, Weilerstein

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 1 February 2024

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

I’ve mentioned Ethel Smyth a few times in the past on this show. This is partly because of her music, and partly because she remains one of the most interesting people who ever lived. She was a composer of course, but she was also a conductor and an author, as well as a political activist. Specifically, she was a suffragette, fiercely advocating for the rights of women to vote in her home country of the UK. As a composer Smyth wrote dozens of works, all of which are starting to become better known as performers and administrators look to bring more music by female composers onto concert stages around the world. Smyth did not have it easy, constantly fighting for her place, battling conductors, other composers, and even her own father, all for the right to be a composer. Today, after I introduce you to a bit more of Smyth’s amazing biography, we’re going to focus on her first orchestral work, her Serenade in D Major. This is a piece that certainly doesn’t sound like a first orchestral piece, and it is full of all of the qualities that make Smyth’s music so enjoyable to listen to - lush warmth, humor, raucous intensity, and the quiet passion that runs through the music of so many great British composers. Smyth’s Serenade in D is starting to be performed more, and I’m really proud to be using my own recording of the piece for the show today, which I made with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in 2021. It is only the second professional recording of the piece, and the recording has just been released on Claves Records. So today, we’re going to go through this wonderful piece and also spend some more time in the wild and unpredictable world of Dame Ethel Smyth. Join us!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and I'm a
0:14.0	classical music podcast. My name is Joshua Weilerstein.
0:17.0	I'm a conductor and I'm the chief conductor of the Alborg Symphony and the music director of the Phoenix Orchestra of Boston.
0:22.0	This podcast is for anyone
0:24.4	who loves classical music, works in the field, or is just getting ready to dive in to
0:28.4	this amazing world of incredible music. Before we get started I want to thank
0:32.1	my new Patreon sponsors Bill, Vineac, Harmon, Andrea, Marius, Lucas,
0:38.8	and all of my Patreon sponsors for making season 10 possible.
0:43.0	If you'd like to support the show, please head over to
0:45.0	Patreon.com slash Theky Notes Podcast.
0:48.0	And if you are a fan of the show,
0:50.0	please take a moment to give us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. It is greatly appreciated.
0:57.0	So I've been spending a lot of time preparing for my first concert post having a baby which will be in Toronto with the
1:04.7	Glen Gould School the Royal Conservatory of Music we are going to be doing a program
1:08.8	with Mollers Fifth Symphony and Elgarz cello Concerto.
1:13.1	Mahler Five is a piece that I've always, always, always wanted to do.
1:16.6	It's probably the most complicated piece I've ever conducted in my life.
1:20.6	It is something that I've been talking a lot about on my Patreon page in my exclusive mini episodes, all of the challenges, all the difficulties of this immense and immensely complicated and incredible score.
1:32.0	There's really nothing like doing this piece and I can't wait to get
1:35.8	started on working on it with an orchestra which is with a lot of people that probably will not have played it
1:39.6	before. For this week I'm really excited to share a piece with you that I'm sure many of you are not that familiar with, Ethel Smyth's Serenade in D.
1:48.0	I had the joy of recording this piece with the Lozan Chamber Orchestra a few years ago in my final season as their
	...

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