Page 21 - CJAug25

But Adams then continues: “Once they learn to per- “Man sagt, ich sei ein Egoist. Ich bin eine Kämpferin”: Dame
form it, rarely will chorus members communicate to me Ethel Mary Smyth (1858–1944), Komponistin, Dirigentin,
42
a lingering resentment over the work’s challenges.” Schriftstellerin, Suffragette, Widerständige Frauen 10 (Verlag
The same is true for the Mass in D. Tovey noted long ago Edition AV, 2010). St. John (birth name Christabel Mar-
that the Mass “inspires enthusiasm in the singers.” And shall) was Smyth’s literary executor and friend who first
43
in writing about the Mass, Smyth herself said, “I see met the composer in 1911. Smyth herself left six mem-
44
that…I shall never do anything better! Like every chal- oirs: Impressions that Remained: Memoirs, 2 vols. (Longmans,
lenging piece of music by a good composer, music that Green, 1919); Streaks of Life (Longmans, Green and Co.,
seems unexpected when one is first learning it comes to 1921; 2nd ed. 1922); A Final Burning of Boats Etc. (Long-
feel “just right” once performers master their parts. mans, Green and Co., 1928); Female Pipings in Eden (Peter
Davies, 1933; 2nd ed. 1934); As Time Went On... (Long-
mans, Green and Co., 1936); and What Happened Next
Conclusion (Longmans, Green and Co., 1940). An extensive bibliog-
Early in her career Ethel Smyth declared, “Oh what raphy appears at www.ethelsmyth.org. All biographical
a Mass I will write one day! Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata information in this article comes from these sources.
45
mundi. What words! What words!” In the time between 4 For a detailed list of works with information on available
the first and the second performance, when the latter editions, visit www.ethelsmyth.org.
seemed unlikely, she also presciently wrote, “But if, even 5 On the composition of the Mass, see The Memoirs of Ethel
after one’s own death, anyone thinks it worth producing, Smyth, ed. Ronald Crichton (Viking, 1987), 164, as well
it will not have been written in vain.” 46 as Collis, Impetuous Heart, 47–50.
Ethel Smyth’s Mass in D was certainly not written in 6 St. John, Ethel Smyth, xvi.
vain; it is an extraordinary work in multiple ways. It is 7 Barnby’s assessment as “over-exuberant” is found in The
extraordinary that it was composed at all in a musical cli- Memoirs of Ethel Smyth, 194. The Archbishop’s comment
mate with small interest in the genre. It is extraordinary appears in Smyth, As Time Went On, 172.
that the score was not lost and that Smyth never gave up 8 George Bernard Shaw, Music in London 1890–94: Criticisms
on her attempts to garner a second performance despite Contributed Week by Week to the World, 3 vols. (Vienna House,
many obstacles and an unsupportive publisher. And it is 1973), II: 244.
simply extraordinary as a dramatic and exciting piece 9 Collis, Impetuous Heart, 64.
of music that has a powerful impact on both performers 10 Smyth, As Time Went On, 50.
and listeners. The Mass is a deeply rewarding sing, and it 11 Elizabeth Wood, “Lesbian Fugue: Ethel Smyth’s Contra-
deserves to take its place in the pantheon of choral works puntal Arts,” in Musicology and Difference: Gender and Sexu-
that are known and beloved by all. ality in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth A. Solie (University of
California Press, 1995), 183.
12 J. A. Fuller Maitland, “Smyth, Ethel,” in Grove Dictionary of
NOTES Music and Musicians (1911), 490.
13 Tovey, Essays in Musical Analysis, V: 235–236.
1 A partial listing of recent performances and recordings (as 14 The score reads “N.B.—It is recommended that in perform-
well as much other information on Smyth) can be found ing this work, the numbers be given in the following or-
at www.ethelsmyth.org; website content curated by Smyth der: Kyrie, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Gloria. E.S.”
specialist Dr. Amy Zigler. In fact, this order follows the Book of Common Prayer.
2 Donald Francis Tovey, Essays in Musical Analysis (Oxford Uni- 15 Several recordings of the complete Mass are available on
versity Press, 1937), V: 236. YouTube. An excellent one by the BBC Symphony and
3 The three full-length biographies of Smyth are Christopher Chorus can be followed along with the score at www.
St. John, Ethel Smyth: A Biography (Longmans, Green and youtube.com/watch?v=IVSpw3srMbc.
Co., 1959); Louise Collis, Impetuous Heart: The Story of Eth- 16 The commissioner was Catholic convert Thomas Wingham,
el Smyth (William Kimber, 1984); and Sulamith Sparre, the musical director of Brompton Oratory. The Oratory

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 19