There is a new recording in our library at WXXI Classical of music by Welsh composer Grace Williams. I first became interested in her music when I heard her “Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes."
Grace Williams was introduced to the piano by her father and brother. They often formed a trio that accompanied her father’s choir. She attended the Royal College of Music in London where her teachers were Gordon Jacob and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Williams was the first woman to score a feature film in England called “Blue Scar”. Later in the early 1960’s she composed her only opera. BBC Radio 3 devoted their “Composer of the Week” to her in August 2006. The total catalog of her music includes 38 works, of which we now have five in our library to play on the radio for you.
In the CD recording “Orchestral Works: Grace Williams” with the BBC Philharmonic directed by John Andrews, there are several interesting works; some with unusual titles. The music includes: “Castell Caenarfon” that describes a medieval fortress near Wales. Other selections are Ballads, Sea Sketches and Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon. The “Legend of Rhiannon” tells the story of a mythical goddess, known for her wisdom and strength. She rides a white horse and marries a King.
I enjoyed listening to this CD from our library and hope that you’ll have a chance to sample some of Grace Williams’ music on the radio or in your own collection.
