Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

August 27, 1886 in Harrow, Middlesex, England

Death

:

October 13, 1979 in New York City, NY

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Vocal

 

Rebecca Clarke was a British composer and violist who lived from 1886 to 1979. She was born in Harrow, Middlesex, England, to a musical family. Her father, Joseph Thacher Clarke, was a well-known organist and music teacher, and her mother, Agnes Templeton, was a singer. Clarke showed an early interest in music and began playing the violin at the age of nine. She later switched to the viola, which became her primary instrument. Clarke studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1907 to 1910, where she was a student of Lionel Tertis, the leading violist of the time. She also studied composition with Charles Villiers Stanford and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Clarke was a talented violist and performed in many orchestras and chamber groups throughout her career. She was a member of the all-female Morley String Quartet, which was founded in 1898 and was one of the first professional female string quartets. Clarke's compositions were influenced by the music of her time, which included the late Romantic and early modernist styles. Her early works were mostly for viola and piano, and she wrote several pieces for the instrument that are still performed today. One of her most famous works is the Sonata for Viola and Piano, which she wrote in 1919. The piece is considered a masterpiece of the viola repertoire and is often performed in recitals and competitions. In addition to her works for viola and piano, Clarke also wrote chamber music, orchestral works, and songs. Her chamber music includes several string quartets, a piano trio, and a sonata for cello and piano. Her orchestral works include a tone poem called The Cloths of Heaven, which was premiered by the Queen's Hall Orchestra in 1921. Clarke's songs are known for their expressive melodies and sensitive settings of poetry. She set the works of many poets, including William Butler Yeats, Christina Rossetti, and Emily Dickinson. Clarke's career was not without its challenges. As a woman composer in a male-dominated field, she faced discrimination and was often overlooked by critics and audiences. She also struggled with depression and had a difficult personal life. In 1917, she had a brief affair with the composer and conductor Ralph Vaughan Williams, which ended badly. She later married the pianist and composer James Friskin, but the marriage was unhappy and ended in divorce. Despite these challenges, Clarke continued to compose and perform throughout her life. She moved to the United States in 1916 and lived there for many years, where she taught at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She also performed with the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras. In 1944, she returned to England and settled in the village of Streatley, where she lived until her death in 1979. Today, Clarke is recognized as one of the most important British composers of the early 20th century. Her music is admired for its emotional depth, technical skill, and originality. She was a pioneer for women in music and paved the way for future generations of female composers. Her legacy continues to inspire musicians and audiences around the world.

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