ETHEL SMYTH (1858-1944): Violin Sonata in A Minor, Op. 7, IRENE REGINA WIENIAWSKA (1879-1932): Violin Sonata in D Minor, ETHEL BARNS (1874-1948): La Chasse, ELIZABETH MACONCHY (1907-1994): 3 Preludes, PHYLLIS TATE (1911-1987): La Chasse.

Catalogue Number: 11M054
Label: Naxos
Reference: 8.572291
Format: CD
Price: $11.98
Description: Smyth's 1887 sonata, ripped by German critics and called "unnatural" by Joachim, has its moments of foreward-looking austerity in its first movement but if its third movement Romanze were by a famous male composer, the sonata would be a repertoire staple (its finale is hard to get out of one's head too). Henry Wieniawski's daughter (married to a Brit, which is why she belongs under this "British Women Composers" title) has a passionate and dramatic sonata from 1912 which alternates melancholy lyricism with tempestuous intensity and also should be better known. Tate's 1954 Triptych is moderately modern, Maconchy's brief 1970 Preludes more so while Barns offers a witty encore from 1928. Clare Howick (violin), Sophia Rahman (piano).