Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World - 'Magnificent' (Kate Mosse)

Four extraordinary women composers from the Victorian era to the Second World War are brought to life in Leah Broad's Quartet, which was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Storytelling Award and shortlisted for the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize 2023. The book explores their lives, loves, adventures, and pioneering musical careers, highlighting their contributions to British history and music.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2023
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Storytelling Award
Shortlisted for the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize 2023




The captivating lives, profound loves, thrilling adventures, and groundbreaking musical journeys of four extraordinary women are unveiled in this remarkable debut biographer's captivating narrative.


Fabulous.


Sunday Times


A rare gift.


Financial Times


Passionate.


Vivid.


Timely.


Telegraph


Readable and inspiring.


Guardian


Compelling.


Ambitious.


Poignant.


Spectator


Magnificent.


Kate Mosse


Riveting.


Antonia Fraser


A breath of fresh air.


Kate Molleson


Fascinating.


Alexandra Harris


Wonderful.


Claire Tomalin


Splendid.


Miranda Seymour


Remarkable.


Fiona Maddocks


Pioneering.


Andrew Motion


Brilliant.


Helen Pankhurst


Ethel Smyth (b.1858):


Famed for her operas, this trailblazing queer Victorian composer was a larger-than-life socialite, intrepid traveler, and committed Suffragette.


Rebecca Clarke (b.1886):


This talented violist and Pre-Raphaelite beauty was one of the first women ever hired by a professional orchestra, later celebrated for her modernist experimentation.


Dorothy Howell (b.1898):


A prodigy who shot to fame at the 1919 Proms, her reputation as the English Strauss never dented her modesty; on retirement, she tended Elgar's grave alone.


Doreen Carwithen (b.1922):


One of Britain's first woman film composers who scored Elizabeth II's coronation film, her success hid a 20-year affair with her married composition tutor.


In their time, these women were celebrities. They composed some of the century's most popular music and pioneered creative careers; but today, they are ghostly presences, surviving only as muses and footnotes to male contemporaries like Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten - until now.


Leah Broad's magnificent work brings these forgotten women to life, shedding light on their remarkable achievements and challenging the historical narrative that has often marginalized their contributions. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Broad paints a vivid portrait of these extraordinary women, revealing their triumphs, struggles, and enduring legacies.


This captivating book is a must-read for music enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone seeking to understand the power of women's creativity and the impact it has had on the world. It is a testament to the resilience and determination of these women, who defied societal expectations and paved the way for future generations of artists.


So, immerse yourself in the pages of this extraordinary biography and discover the untold stories of these remarkable women who left an indelible mark on the world of music.


Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Storytelling Award
Shortlisted for the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize 2023

Weight: 713g
Dimension: 234 x 153 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571366101
Edition number: Main