The Art-Music, Literature and Linguistics Forum

I heard the concert on BBC 3 on Friday with Spain-Dunk's "Stonehenge" and was duly impressed, then listened to her overture "The Kentish Downs" on YouTube. Seems another obscure British composer whose music is worth exploring. If anyone knows of recordings of other works I would like to hear of them.

Susan Spain-Dunk (1880-1962)- a completely new name to me too! As you say the Overture "The Kentish Downs" is on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SPzy2d5XZY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SPzy2d5XZY)

The Wikipedia article is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Spain-Dunk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Spain-Dunk)

I wonder if anyone recorded the Symphonic Poem "Stonehenge" (1929)?

If they did, I would very much like to hear it.

She does sound like a character from Monty Python, but I'll be giving The Kentish Downs a spin.

Placed recording of Spain-Dunk Stonehenge in British file, the program is available to hear again for several weeks, I didn't include the spoken intro, etc.

Thanks very much for this.

 :)

There aren't lots of detail on her works:

Chamber
Winter Song for cello and piano
Petite Serenade for flute and piano  1907
Phantasy Piano trio in A minor 1907 ( Cobbet prize)
Trio for two violins and piano
Sextet in F major 1941
Two pieces for violin and viola (In the Lonely Moor, Jig)
String Quartet No. 1 in bb minor 1914
String Quartet No. 2 in d minor Phantasy 1915
Halligen, Scandinavian dance for violin and piano  1908
Springdas, Scandinavian dance for violin and piano  1908
Violin Sonata No. 1 in b minor 1908
Lorelei, Legend for violin and piano  1933
Dead Roses for violin and piano
Jaraba, Spanish dance for violin and piano  Op.57
Violin Sonata No. 2 in c minor
Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor
Wind Quintet

Orchestral
Cantilena for clarinet and orchestra 1930
Romantic piece for flute and strings  1925
Four Spanish Dances, for piano and orchestra
Legend for oboe and strings 1955
Idyll for strings  1925
Andreds Weald (military orchestra)  1927
Serenade de Capri, orchestra 1928
Karisima, orchestra 1928
The Flute Player of Brindhaven 1939
Kentonia, Concert march
2 Scottish pieces for orchestra  (By St.Marys Loch, Kerrera), Op. 54
Kentish Downs, Overture  1926
Farmers Boy, for flute and strings  1929
Highland Overture 1935
Waterlily Pool, Overture for flute, harp and strings
Blessed Sonya, prelude
Suite in b minor for string orchestra, 1920
Cinque Ports, suite (Dover Castle, Rye Harbour, Winchelsea Gate) 1958
Elaine, Symphonic poem  1927
Weald of Kent, Fantasia for orchestra 1927
Notre Dame dAlbert, tone poem 1939
Malaya, tone poem 1958
Stone Henge, Symphonic poem

Piano
6 Spanish Dances - La Madrilena, El jaleo, Aragonaise, Pepita, Cachucha, El ole. 1936 ( four were subsequently orchestrated)
Prelude in d minor

Vocal
The Baptism of Jesus, cantata

Thanks very much indeed, jimmatt. Would be interested to discover information on the whereabouts of her orchestral mss (or, indeed, published music). There is not much on COPAC, though RAM seems to have some scores and parts. How much is extant? How much of what exists is easily available? Might there be enough to fill a CD (Dutton?).

......and, Thank you very much from me too :)

Well her Kentish Downs Overture is marvellous (I was going to say charming but that sounded patronising). Very evocative. And her Fantasy Quartet has been recorded on a disk of sq music by female composers and can be heard on Youtube. That is great too. Now for Stonehenge.  ;D

There's nothing amiss with charm. It's a quality we badly lack these days, so we could use every bit that we can find :)

Sadly, Susan Spain-Dunk is just one of several female composers whose work has been gathering dust for far too long, thinking also of Morfydd Owen (whose evocative 1913 orchestral Nocturne was featured at last year's Proms and whose Morfa Rhuddlan of 1914 is in the British and Irish downloads thread). At least we now have an excellent disc from Chandos representing Ruth Gipps and the superb Dutton recording of Ina Boyle...

 :)

Re: Morfydd owen! I bought the Tŷ Cerdd cd of songs and piano music,by the sadly,shortly lived,Morfydd Llwyn Owen. She's a bit of an icon here in Wales. There have been a number of programs about her,here in Wales,on radio and tv,over the years. There have also been various articles and books. Most recently a feature length biopic,on the Welsh langage tv channel,S4C (with subtitles in english!). Known for her exotic,beauty and her marriage to the famous psychoanalyst,Ernest Jones. Even people who aren't,normally,interested in classical music are interested in her,here in Wales. The fact,that some people still think that foul play was involved,and that Ernest Jones was the one 'who dunnit',only,adds to the fascination;and there's no doubt that the circumstances of here death are mired in controversy. (The evidence does look decidedly dodgy!) I was wondering what the music on the cd would be like. I'm not usually very keen on people warbling to piano accompaniments,but I enjoyed the songs,very much. Her piano music,too. Elin Manahan Thomas,who has done allot to promote her music,has a lovely voice. The cd is well recorded,with a lovely,hand tinted,photograph of Morfydd Owen and interesting booklet notes about the composer and her music. A lovely cd. It can be bought via Tŷ Cerdd's website. Although,I bought my copy (online) from a shop in Aberystwyth.

Why am I unable to find this?

http://artmusic.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,6746.0.html (http://artmusic.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,6746.0.html)

I have no idea - there is a separate link in the downloads thread and a copy in the archive...

 ;)

.
Ah! jimmatt said he put it in the British download folder, so of course, that's where I looked. How stupid of me! hahaha
.

Apparently her music has been featured at the Proms:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/composers/4a0c897e-1788-4406-ae51-c4b162ede9b2/works

Yes, but all way back in the 1920s.

Susan Spain-Dunk

The Farmer's Boy, Overture

The BBC Midland Light Orchestra

Rae Jenkins

recorded 1945

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p072w86w (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p072w86w)

Not available in US, can anyone upload it if it is not a copyright problem? Thanks

Link not functional. Maybe can someone add to Downloads?

not available in the US??

I have no problems with other mediafire files. I use mediafire myself and upload/download without issues. So why this one file is problematic? The mediafire error message suggests the file is no longer there. ????  And I cannot find a link in the Downloads section.  ????

I believe PJ has just deleted the file from his MediaFire account, which is why it is no longer accessible and the error message occurs.