Lyric FM Feature on Augusta Holmes and other female composers

[Wheesht]

This week's RTE Guide announces a new feature (this coming Friday, 7 to 7.30 pm) which confusingly enough is referred to as a repeat in the Radio Times. "In the first of a new feature, Axel Klein and Jo-Ann Falletta explore the obstacles female composers faced in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They begin with an examination of the music of Augusta Holmes, who was forced to employ a male pseudonym during the early part of her career." According to the printed edition of the Guide, "the programme includes a performance of Holmes Noël d'Irlande by Elizabeth Pink." Does anyone know more about this? There is at least one more part, scheduled for Friday, 14 September.

[edurban]

More about the Noel d'Irlande?  It's a song, passionate, political, and inclining to the heroic (as one might expect from this composer) dedicated, if I remember correctly, to "the children of Ireland."
It has been anthologized. 

David

[jasthill]

There may be more behind this feature of Augusta Holmes but maybe other women composers  - to wit I notice on the JoAnn Falletta web page a mention of  " A disc of the music of Irish composer, Ina Boyle, a student of Vaughan-Williams, will be recorded this spring."  OH, BTW only Naxos (Marco Polo) has recorded any of Augusta Holmes.  Perhaps a Naxos compendium of women composers via JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo or Ulster Orchestra?  Ye Gads! I would prefer this rather than another "revelatory" exposition of the Brahms, other OWM, et. al. symphonies.

[eschiss1]

Re: "only Naxos (Marco Polo) has recorded"...
Recordings on CD of music by Augusta Holmès (incomplete list)
*the Naxos etc. album in question
*the song "A Trianon" on a 1993 Vienna Modern Masters CD "From a woman's perspective"
*"Choix de mélodies" by Holmès on a ca.1992 Accord CD (i.e., CD with 19 of her songs)
*5 songs on the Lontano Records (1996) CD album "Fleurs jetées : songs by French women composers."
*Trois petites pièces for flute and piano on a CD "Flute impressions" (1994) on the Walsingham label
*"Lavandières" for soprano and ensemble on "La veillée imaginaire" (2010 Alpha CD)

others, too. I see only one other offhand devoted entirely to her music (but may have missed others) (though that wasn't what was stated- anything in this list contradicts the "any" ).

Several of the CDs I omitted which are listed by Worldcat.org are remasterings of very early radio broadcasts- some of her music has been in singers' recital repertoire for a good long while, it seems (though not so much - only about 30 CDs turn up, not 30,000 )

[Wheesht]

I must admit I knew only one other female Irish composer apart from Augusta Holmès before I came across this feature - Mary Dickenson Auner. Here's an overview of all six programmes: http://rockfinch.ie/radio/women-of-note