Ethel Smyth (1858-1944) overcame the constraints of her middle-class English background by open rebellion. Taught piano and theory as ladylike accomplishments, she became so concentrated in her studies that her family deemed them unsuitably intense and stopped her lessons. The teenage Ethel went on a protracted and progressively more severe strike, finally confining herself to her room and refusing to attend meals, church, or social functions unless her father would send her to Leipzig to study composition. After two years, the embattled Mr. Smyth gave in, and Ethel went to Leipzig, where she studied with Heinrich von Herzogenberg and got to know Brahms, whom she admired greatly, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Reinecke, and many other important musicians. Back in England, she obtained recognition mostly for her public works, such as her Mass in D and her opera The Wreckers. Eventually, she was raised to the rank of Dame, not only for her musical work but also for her political activities; she was one of Britain's leading suffragettes during the first part of the 20th century.
There is some confusion as to the date of the composition of her String Trio. Some sources state it was composed in 1884, others claim 1887. What we do know is that it was composed while she was living in Germany and studying privately with the composer Heinrich von Herzogenberg. It was dedicated to the memory of her close friend, the interior designer Rhoda Garrett. The trio is in four movements: 1. Allegro, 2. Allegretto grazioso, 3. Adagio and 4. Allegro molto. The overall style of the music is late Romantic, and in each of the movements, she adapts a famous theme. In the first movement, it is Glory, Glory Hallelujah, taken from the Battle Hymn of the Republic. In the second movement, she quotes a Scottish folksong known as The Crabfish. In the Adagio, she gives a rendition of Bach's Vater Unser im Himmelreich. And in the finale, there are echoes of the English folksong The trees they grow so high.
Our edition is based on the original manuscript, which resides in the library of Durham University. However, copies of the manuscript are readily available, and we obtained one from Old Manuscripts and Incunabula (known as OMI). A picture of the first page is shown above. Senior editor Santo Neuenwelt produced our edition. It is a work that should interest both professionals looking for a fine concert choice and also experienced amateur players.
