Rebecca Clarke

[ardcarp]

Some may have heard (accidentally or otherwise) a pleasant young lady on Your Call last week waxing lyrical about Rebecca Clarke, composer and viola player. It is not so well known that RC wrote quite extensively for choirs, and those who are interested to hear this little-known English voice might care to try a CD made by Gonville and Caius of her complete choral output. CD DCA 136.

Rebecca Clarke was a pupil of Stanford, but began experimenting with what was then called 'modalism'. Her harmonic language is IMO most original and arresting. The usual cliche trotted out for lesser-known composers is that 'their music deserves to be better known'. In RC's case, I believe this to be true, and for choirs looking for new repertoire that will be attractive to singers and audiences alike, do give her a try.

[Roehre]

Rebecca Clarke was a pupil of Stanford, but began experimenting with what was then called 'modalism'. Her harmonic language is IMO most original and arresting. The usual cliche trotted out for lesser-known composers is that 'their music deserves to be better known'. In RC's case, I believe this to be true, and for choirs looking for new repertoire that will be attractive to singers and audiences alike, do give her a try.

I certainly agree that her output deserves to be better known than it is now.
But whether "her harmonic language is IMO most original" is IMO a bridge too far - arresting: yes, original, quite doubtful.
For an example of what I mean: listen to the very opening of the Sonata for viola and piano from 1919, which therefore hardly can be considered to be an early work. The very first composer which springs to mind is Vaughan williams, not Rebecca Clarke. But she developed certainly a distinguished own style, as not only her choral works, but also her songs (some of them with a violin as accompaniment) testify.
I personally am very fond of these songs.

[ardcarp]

Roehre. So glad to have found another Rebecca Clarke fan. I agree her harmonic language was in no way revolutionary, but on listening to, say, He that dwelleth in the secret place, but with an 'innocent ear', one might think 'VW? Holst? Butterworth? Moeran? Howells?' and dismiss them all. There are quirks, harmonic juxtapositions and textures that belong not to them but to Rebecca Clarke! It's a bit like trying to pin dpwn Faure's musical language by comparing it with Franck, Saint-Saens, Brahms even. Must dig out the Viala Sonata again. Ages since I heard it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Didn't she also write a rather good Piano Trio? I "remember" hearing a broadcast from about thirty years ago which impressed me at the time but which I've never encountered since.

[Roehre]

Yes, it's a brilliant trio, on CD or Youtube. Rebecca Clarke at her best, and surprising music for 1921.

[Roehre]

Roehre. So glad to have found another Rebecca Clarke fan. I agree her harmonic language was in no way revolutionary, but on listening to, say, He that dwelleth in the secret place, but with an 'innocent ear', one might think 'VW? Holst? Butterworth? Moeran? Howells?' and dismiss them all.
There are quirks, harmonic juxtapositions and textures that belong not to them but to Rebecca Clarke! It's a bit like trying to pin dpwn Faure's musical language by comparing it with Franck, Saint-Saens, Brahms even. Must dig out the Viola Sonata again. Ages since I heard it.

Fully agree. And FHG recalls that suprising Piano trio, which IMO is more forward looking than the viola sonata, more like the later Bridge (3rd or 4th string quartet of his especially).

[rubbernecker]

Yes, it's a brilliant trio, on CD or Youtube. Rebecca Clarke at her best, and surprising music for 1921.

Couldn't agree more. The number of people I must have bored to death extolling its virtues
Even more so than the Viola Sonata, this a finely wrought work. Thematically and structurally tight, and melodically divine. It sound more European than English, more Bloch than Bantock.

I have been a big fan of all her tantalisingly scant output for over a decade now. The Judith Weir of her day, and scandalously neglected.

[Caliban]

The number of people I must have bored to death extolling its virtues

I survived....

[Pabmusic]

Couldn't agree more.

Neither could I. Superb stuff.

[verismissimo]

Two fine Clarke songs on "In Praise of Women" by A Rolfe Johnson and Graham Johnson (Helios).

Also good song by Ethel Smyth from the generation before Clarke.