Rebecca Clarke

Rebecca Clarke was a renowned British composer and violist, born on August 27, 1886, in Harrow, England, to an American father and a German mother. She began her musical journey studying violin at the age of nine and later attended the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Despite facing challenges, including a controlling and abusive father, Clarke became one of the first female professional orchestral musicians in London. She gained international recognition as a soloist and chamber musician, performing with notable artists like Artur Schnabel and Pablo Casals.

Clarke's compositional career was marked by significant works, particularly her Viola Sonata, which tied for first place in a 1919 competition sponsored by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. Although she faced skepticism about her authorship due to societal biases, her music has endured. Clarke spent much of her life between Great Britain and the United States, eventually settling in New York after World War II. She married composer James Friskin in 1944 and passed away on October 13, 1979. Her legacy has been revived, with many of her compositions now widely recognized for their artistic power and compositional skill.

Genres

British Modern Classical

Early Modern Classical

Related Artists

Ralph Vaughan Williams

William Walton

Frederick Delius

Frank Bridge

Nadia Boulanger

Lili Boulanger

Emily Hall

Hannah Peel

Rachel Newton

Arnold Bax

Laura Cannell

Walton

Latest Release

Rebecca Clarke: As I Was Goin' to Ballynure

Rebecca Clarke

Single - Released September 13, 2024