“This Is No Leave-Taking”: Autobiography and Legacy in Ethel Smyth’s The Prison
Loading...
Date
2022-10-04
Authors
Schau, Kate
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Autobiographical readings are standard when it comes to the works of British composer Ethel Smyth (1858–1944). In addition to being a composer of large-scale orchestral works, she was an outspoken feminist and prolific writer; her fascinating and exceptional life practically begs to be considered when analyzing her music. But little has been written about her final composition: The Prison, an ambitious “choral symphony” that premiered in 1931. My thesis demonstrates the value of an autobiographical interpretation of The Prison. Drawing upon feminist theory, queer theory, and disability studies, I situate the piece relative to Smyth’s biography and engage music-analytically with the piece to show how Smyth exerts her authorial intent on its text, a libretto based on a philosophical meditation by her friend H.B. Brewster. I argue that Smyth inserts herself into the work’s narrative to negotiate her legacy and attempt to place herself into the immortal lineage of the Western musical canon’s most treasured figures.
Description
Keywords
Autobiography, Ethel Smyth, The Prison