Portsmouth Music Scene


The Portsmouth Music Scene

Freda Swain


swain1 Births December quarter 1902 Swain Freda Mary Portsmouth 2b 452
Marriages December quarter 1921 Swain Freda M to Arthur Alexander at Portsmouth 2b 1375
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Births March quarter 1920 ALEXANDER Douglas F , mother's maiden name Swain registered at Pancras 1b 333
Births December quarter 1922 Alexander Gabrielle, mother's maiden name Swain registered at Hampstead 1a 853

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Freda Swain (1902 – 1985) was a British composer and music educator. Biography

Freda Swain was born at Portsmouth, England. She studied with Dora Matthay and at the Royal Academy of Music with Stanford and Arthur Alexander. She earned awards including the Sullivan Prize in 1921.
In 1924 Swain began teaching at the Royal Academy, and in 1936 she founded the British Music Movement to help promote the efforts of young composers and artists. Swain married Arthur Alexander in 1921, and before World War II, the couple toured South Africa and Australia, lecturing, broadcasting and performing recitals.
Works
Swain composed a one-act opera Second Chance, but never finished a second opera, The Shadowy Waters. She also composed a piano concerto, a concertino for piano and strings and other orchestral pieces, songs and song cycles, choral and church music, two string quartets, a Suite for Six Trumpets, and a number of other chamber and instrumental pieces.

Selected works include:
Second Chance, (opera) premiered at Bath in 1955
Clarinet Concerto
A Pastoral Fantasy, tone poem for violin and orchestra
The Harp of Angus
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
A Gaelic Prayer
A Country Pastoral (1957)
The Windmill, for piano
Mimosa
The Lonely Dove
The Sea
Fantasy Suite for Oboe and Piano
Sonatina
Scherzo for three pianos
Sonata in F minor
Sonatas for violin in C minor
Sonata for violin in B minor, subtitled The River
Cello Sonata in C
English Reel for viola
Song at Evening for viola
Danse Barbare for violin and cello
The Willow Tree (1948) for clarinet and piano
Contrasts (1953) for clarinet and piano

Songs:
Blessing
Experience
The Lark on Portsdown
The Green Lad From Donegal
Winter Field

FREDA MARY SWAIN British composer Born 31 Oct 1902- Died 29 Jan 1985

Composer and Pianist, Freda was born in Portsmouth in 1902, she studied the piano with Dora Matthay and then at the Royal College of Music with Arthur Alexander, whom she married in 1921. She formed the British Music Movement in 1926 to promote the works of young composers and artists.During her career she wrote over 100 songs, a one-act opera Second Chance, a second unfinished opera The Shadowy Waters, a Suite for Six Trumpets, orchestral pieces, two string quartets and many other works. Freda died on the 29th January 1985 at the age of 82.

TitlePublisherYearCategory
AprilComposerSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Bells Of HeavenBelwin/IMP/ Concord/MaecenasUnaccomp. Choral
BlessingCurwen/ ElkinSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Cantata In memoriamChorus + Orchestra
Chevalier's Lament, TheComposerSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Chinnor Carol, AUnaccomp. Choral
English PastoralComposerOrgan
English ReelStainer & BellDuo
ExperienceStainer & BellSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Gaelic Prayer, ABelwin/IMP/ Concord/MaecenasAccompanied Choral
Green Lad From Donegal, TheStainer & BellSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Holly And The Ivy, TheBelwin/IMP/ Concord/MaecenasUnaccomp. Choral
HumoresqueWarner Chappell MusicSolo
Laburnum TreeBritish and ContinentalDuo
Lark On Portsdown Hill, TheStainer & BellSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Mountain Ash, TheStainer & Bell1931Solo
Now Rest We All ContentComposerAccompanied Choral
Pipe Tunes (For Janet)ComposerDuo
ProcessionBourne/ Kalmus1967Duo
Psalm 150Composer1973Accompanied Choral
Rejoice In The LordComposer1961Accompanied Choral
RhapsodyBourne/ KalmusDuo
ScherzoKeyboard (2+ players)
Sonata for piano no. 1Solo
Sonata for piano no. 2Composer1950Solo
Song At EveningStainer & BellDuo
Sonnet 18ComposerSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Sonnet 65ComposerSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Spring MoodComposerSolo
Sweet ContentAccompanied Choral
SympathyComposerSong (Voice w/wo 1 instr)
Two ContrastsStainer & BellDuo
Two South African ImpressionsStainer & BellSolo
Unseen HeraldsComposerAccompanied Choral
Waltz CharmingSolo
Waving Grass, TheBritish and ContinentalDuo
Willow WaltzComposerDuo
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The Guildhall in Portsmouth have named a function room in her honour, The Freda Swain Lounge


Known braodcasts by Freda Swain.

National Programme Daventry Saturday 6 October 1934 18.40 All Nationals except Daventry FREDA SWAIN (pianoforte) The Towing Path}....... Ireland Aubade Whirligig Bax The Return............ Freda Swain

Regional Programme London Sunday 11 October 1931 21.05 An Orchestral Concert / FREDA SWAIN (Pianoforte) THE B.B.C. THEATRE \ ORCHESTRA J Conductor, LESLIE WOODGATE

Regional Programme Midland Saturday 19 October 1935 19.25 ' Music of the Reign ' Relayed from The Town Hall, Birmingham Solo pianoforte, FREDA SWAIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ORCHESTRA Leader, ALFRED CAVE Conductor, LESLIE HEWARD

Third Programme Thursday 7 November 1957 22.00 NEW MUSIC Janet Fraser (contralto) Frederick Stone (piano) Gordon Clinton (baritone) Freda Swain (piano) Max Rostal (violin) Colin Horsley (piano) Quartet Pro Musica: Patrick Halling (violin) Roger Raphael (violin) Peter Sermon (viola) Peter Hailing (cello)

BBC Home Service Basic Thursday 5 May 1960 9.25 SONGS AND DUETS Pamela Woolmoie (soprano) Andrew Gold (tenor) Clifton Helliwell (piano) Thus starts the Kalevala: Do not for gold and silver; From the woods a small bird; My little daughter: Maiden beauty: Tulip, tulip. fully blown; Maker of the stars above: Counting song All the songs bv Freda Swain and Leslie Walters , with the exception of Plesant Grounde , arc being broadcast for the first time.

6BM Bournemouth Saturday 6 October 1934 18.45 FREDA SWAIN (pianoforte) (National Programme)

5PY Plymouth Saturday 6 October 1934 18.45 FREDA SWAIN (pianoforte) (National Programme)

5PY Plymouth and 6BM Bournemouth Saturday 6 October 1934 18.45 FREDA SWAIN (pianoforte) (National Programme)


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