10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Neglected Masterpiece, October 3, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Mass in D (Audio CD)
I had the privilege of singing in the United States premiere of the "Mass in D" a few years ago, and was happy to see this CD of the work being offered. The "Mass" is not just a curiosity by a woman composer. It is a setting that is worthy to stand with other great choral works of the late nineteenth century. It is dramatic, as befits its time. When the orchestra and chorus are in full cry, there is thunder worthy of Wagner; yet there are quiet moments (such as the ending of the Agnus Dei) that are equally compelling. One can hear influences of the late romantics with whom she studied in Leipzig, and foreshadowings of Vaughan Williams. Never, though, is the music derivative. Smyth has her own unique voice.
The "March of the Women" included at the end is a window on Smyth's life outside of music, as an advocate for women's rights. Listening, one can catch some of the heady excitement of the womens' suffrage movement in England.
The operatic excerpts do not quite measure up to the other music, but are worth a listen as well.
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