Page 317 - Guildhall Coverage Book 2020-21

14 March 2021

A Life On-Line: Forgotten Voices from SWAP'ra, 18th century elegance at
Conway Hall, Szymanowski in Bristol, a birthday at Wigmore Hall
Labels: A Life On-Line

SWAP'ra celebrated International Women's Day this week with
its Forgotten Voices project (in collaboration with Hera), where

singers from the UK's conservatoires (and the National Opera
Studio) performed songs by women composers. Some of the

names of the composers were known, others not, and many of
the songs were unknown. Things kicked off on Saturday 6 March
(though we only caught it on catch-up later) with a live recital

from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Songs by
three Welsh women and one Scott, Elaine Hugh-Jones (born
1927), Grace Williams (1906-1977), Morfydd Owen (1891-1918),

and Claire Lidell (born 1937). Elaine Hugh-Jones, who was a
pupil of Lennox Berkeley, was entirely new to me and her
approachable yet complex songs were intriguing and made you