Music, Life and Changing Times: Selected Correspondence Between British Composers Elizabeth Maconchy and Grace Williams, 1927–77: Volume 1 1

At this book's core is a critical edition of letters exchanged over 50 years between Anglo-Irish composer Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994) and the Welsh composer Grace Williams (1906-1977). These two innovative and talented women are highly regarded for their music, their professional activities, and their roles in British musical life. The edition comprises around 353 letters from 1927 to 1977, none of which have been published before, along with scholarly introductions and contextualisation. Interwoven commentaries, in tandem with carefully constructed appendices, frame the letter texts. Moreover, the commentaries and introductory essays highlight and track the development of important themes and issues that characterise the study of twentieth-century British music today. This edition presents a dialogue, through both sides of a unique correspondence, offering an alternative commentary on musical and cultural developments of this period. At this book’s core is a critical edition of letters exchanged over 50 years between Anglo-Irish composer Elizabeth Maconchy (1907–1994) and the Welsh composer Grace Williams (1906–1977). These two innovative and talented women are highly regarded for their music, their professional activities, and their roles in British musical life. The edition comprises around 353 letters from 1927 to 1977, none of which have been published before, along with scholarly introductions and contextualisation. Interwoven commentaries, in tandem with carefully constructed appendices, frame the letter texts. Moreover, the commentaries and introductory essays highlight and track the development of important themes and issues that characterise the study of twentieth-century British music today. This edition presents a dialogue, through both sides of a unique correspondence that offers an alternative commentary on musical and cultural developments of this period. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 List of figures 9 List of music examples 10 Editors’ Preface 11 Introductory thoughts 13 Afterthoughts 17 A friendship of fifty years 22 Part I Letters 1–49 (1927–Summer 1939) 24 I.1 Letters 1–9 (1927–August 1931) 26 I.2 Letters 10–23 (February 1932–March 1933) 37 I.3 Letters 24–34 (June 1933–March 1934) 53 I.4 Letters 35–41 (November 1934–March 1936) 66 I.5 Letters 42–49 (June 1937–Summer 1939) 74 Part II Letters 50–93 (October 1939–April 1949) 82 II.1 Letters 50–64 (October 1939–June 1942) 84 II.2 Letters 65–81 (January 1943–December 1944) 103 II.3 Letters 82–85 (May 1945–January 1947) 123 II.4 Letters 86–90 (October 1947–June 1948) 128 II.5 Letters 91–93 (February 1949–April 1949) 134 Part III Letters 94–146 (November 1949–December 1959) 140 III.1 Letters 94–104 (November 1949–July 1950) 142 III.2 Letters 105–113 (December 1950–November 1952) 158 III.3 Letters 114–122 (March 1953–March 1955) 170 III.4 Letters 123–136 (February 1956–August 1958) 180 III.5 Letters 137–146 (January 1959–December 1959) 196 Part IV Letters 147–187 (August 1960–December 1965) 210 IV.1 Letters 147–151 (August 1960–May 1961) 212 IV.2 Letters 152–162 (December 1961–February 1963) 220 IV.3 Letters 163–173 (July 1963–April 1964) 233 IV.4 Letters 174–179 (July 1964–January 1965) 249 IV.5 Letters 180–187 (March 1965–December 1965) 257 Grace Williams: Works 266 Elizabeth Maconchy: Works 270 A Select Bibliography 275 Writings by Elizabeth Maconchy (arranged chronologically) 275 Writings by Grace Williams (arranged chronologically) 275 Select writings about Maconchy, Williams, and their circle 275 Index -1 At this book's core is a critical edition of letters exchanged over 50 years between Anglo-Irish composer Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994) and the Welsh composer Grace Williams (1906-1977). These two innovative and talented women are highly regarded for their music, their professional activities and their roles in British musical life. The edition comprises around 200 letters from 1927 to 1977, none of which have been published before, along with scholarly introductions and contextualizations. Interwoven commentaries, in tandem with carefully constructed appendices, frame the letter texts. Moreover, the commentaries and introductory essays highlight and track the development of important themes and issues that characterize the study of twentieth-century British music today. This edition presents a dialogue, through both sides of a unique correspondence, offering an alternative commentary on musical and cultural developments of this period