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It's very different from anything else of hers I've heard. She is usually more melodically memorable, but less deep, I think. I have enjoyed the recording very much, but I haven't listened repeatedly to it, as I do with some works. I listened a lot more to Fete Galante when that was released. It did help that my commute to work was precisely the right length for it, though.

Here's my attempt. I have omitted the bits about the soloists. Not perfect, but it's useful:

What a woman! Born in London in 1858, Ethel Smyth went on hunger strike in order to pursue musical studies in Leipzig. Back in England she began her career as a composer. Later she took part in the militant activities of the Suffragette movement for women's rights and landed in prison, where she conducted her hymn "March of the Women" for her fellow prisoners -with a toothbrush. Due to worsening deafness, Ethel Smyth retired from composition and took up writing, only to produce another large choral symphony "The Prison" in 1930.

Listening Notes

A unnamed prisoner sits in his cell and waits for his approaching death. He reflects on his ineluctable situation with his soul, which Smyth assigns to a soprano in "The Prison". The chorus comments like in a classical tragedy about the metaphysical events -here are the echoes of the world of the Beyond.


Struggle with and Acceptance of Death

"The Prison", half choral symphony and half oratorio, deals with the Last Things: with the transcendence of earthly existence, the struggle with and acceptance of death. When the Prisoner dreams of the beauty of nature, Smyth imitates birdsong -long before Olivier Messaien.

Inner spirituality which goes right to the heart

A "Choral Prelude in the Prison Chapel" is the heart of "The Prison". Smyth has colourfully scored the German Choral which recalls Bach's Passions. James Blachly and his Experiental Orchestra express the music of this moment with a spirtuality which goes right to the heart.

In brief:

This record will be loved by people who...
   Are interested in spiritual themes and contemplative sounds.
This record is worth buying because...
   We can appreciate at last the compositional power of the British late romantic Ethel Smyth.
This record's drawback is...
   There has never previously been a recording of this expensive-to-record work
This record invites you to...
   A journey of discovery in the world of a composer who was ahead of her time in her world.

I'll give it another listen. I hadn't really noticed it before. I have the Chandos recording but maybe didn't take enough notice when I played it and then left it. That's one of the great things about these groups: they inspire one to listen better.

This is very specific: one ethnicity within one country (I think "African American" only means the usa and not the rest of the Americas), having invented a form of music while being unsung. I am sceptical that anyone can truly be found who fits that definition.

I don't I'm afraid, but thank you very much for sharing this one.

Wonderful news! This work is possibly at the very top of my wish list for recordings and has been for a very long time. The Boatswain's Mate was high on that list for decades too and is now available, so this means most of the Smyth works I would most like to hear will be available. And since it's Chandos it'll be a decent recording. They do seem back on form, after releasing Parry's Judith

The story this was based on was also I think the inspiration for Maritana and part of The Yeomen of the Guard!

Interesting thread. I would love to hear:

Vaughan Williams's opera Thomas the Rhymer (rumoured to have been completed in short score); his cello concerto was on my list before the completion on Dutton

Elgar's The Last Judgement

Parry's Guenever

Probably not Walton's Third Symphony, as there only seems to be one page, but suppose for argument someone found more

Mackenzie's symphony

A number of works that would have been on my list have actually had their completions done, such as the Elgar 3rd Symphony, Sullivan's Emerald Isle, Stanford's late piano and violin concertos and Moeran's second symphony.

A wonderful collection. I'm slghtly in two minds about the renaming of the German Symphony, but it's a lovely piece. The Elegy I think stands out as perhaps his finest orchestral work I've heard. The songs are very melodious too.

Excellent news. I have really enjoyed the recent recording of the 5th symphony, a really fine work. I would also like to hear a better version of the Scandinavian, as the Marco Polo one is a bit ropey, to say the least.

Charles Wood, unlike Stanford, was born in Northern Ireland, so can definitely be considered British (and also Irish).

Excellent! Finally I'll be able to hear all eight quartets!

Oh, I must get this! I love the Kelly Serenade. I have the 2 cd release of works of his from a couple of years ago, plus the Cameo recording, and Kelly seems a very fine composer. Apparently a great rower too.

Well that's a beautiful work! Absolutely wonderful to hear it: love the orchestral and choral passages and look forward to getting to know it more.

Thank you so very much! Wow, my first two full Stanford operas in the space of a few weeks!