ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

This week, for the first time, every note in Afternoon Concert was written by a woman. In recordings from all of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ orchestras and choirs, we celebrate female creativity with music spanning 300 years and traversing the globe.

In today's collection –
Cecile Chaminade's little-known symphonic ballet Callirhoë provides our theatrical matinee this week, in which we celebrate female composers in recordings from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ orchestras.

Plus, hear music by British composers including Elizabeth Maconchy, Nicola Lefanu, Anne Dudley and Elisabeth Lutyens.

A prolific composer of piano miniatures and salon music, Chaminade’s contribution to the orchestral repertoire is all too often overlooked. Yet in her twenties Chaminade was taking Paris by storm with a very different style of music, writing large-scale chamber works, orchestral suites, ballet and opera. Conducting the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Concert Orchestra in this recording of her little-known symphonic ballet is Martin Yates, who painstakingly researched and edited the complete ballet music from various original scores. Don't worry too much about the convoluted plot depicting the love story of Alcmaeon and the captive princess Callirhoë; be reassured that all ends well and just luxuriate in the glorious music.

Presented by Fiona Talkington.

Cecile Chaminade: Callirhoë, ballet symphonique, op.37

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Concert Orchestra
Martin Yates, conductor

Elizabeth Maconchy: String Quartet no. 3

Signum Quartet

Nicola Lefanu: The Hidden Landscape

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra
Norman Del Mar, conductor

Kerensa Briggs: Media Vita

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Singers
Grace Rossiter, conductor

Augusta Holmes: Roland Furieux

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ National Orchestra of Wales
Valentina Peleggi, conductor

Anne Dudley: Northern Lights

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Concert Orchestra
Bramwell Tovey, conductor

Elisabeth Lutyens: Quincunx, op.44

John Shirley-Quirk, baritone
Josephine Nendick, soprano
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra
Norman Del Mar, conductor