Sheet music reviews: Smyth Complete Piano Works

Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944) was born at a time when female composers were a rarity and the idea of women being professional musicians was socially unacceptable – so much so that Smyth went on hunger strike to persuade her father to allow her to study music! She went on to make her mark as composer, conductor, writer and activist. A trailblazer for women's music, she also became involved with the suffragettes for whom she wrote ‘The March of the Women’. With her indomitable spirit, she fought against stereotypical ideas of what was then considered ‘feminine’ (graceful, melodic, small-scale) and ‘masculine’ (vigorous, large-scale, richly orchestrated) in music. Throughout her life she continued to insist on performances and publication of her music and to be considered on an equal playing field.