Doreen Carwithen (1922-2003)

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202201A Buckinghamshire Childhood20221121Marking the centenary of her birth, Donald Macleod delves into the little-known world of 20th-century British composer Doreen Carwithen.

Doreen Carwithen is one of only a handful of female British composers who worked in the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s. Dramas, mysteries, horror flicks, documentaries, the thirty-plus films she scored form a substantial part of her musical legacy.

An award-winning student, Carwithen first came to critical attention in the concert hall, with the catchily titled ODTAA, One damn thing after another, in 1947. Predictably, newspaper headlines made much of her gender and her youth. She was just 24. It seemed as if a bright future lay ahead, yet, at the beginning of the 1960s, Carwithen would stop writing music, a situation which perhaps in part explains why her music dropped off the radar for many years. One hundred years since her birth, Donald Macleod brings to light the little-known yet fascinating story of this 20th-century British composer.

This week Donald Macleod is joined in conversation by Leah Broad, whose new biography of Carwithen is due out next year. They chart Carwithen's career from the age of five, when she began piano and violin under the guidance of her musical mother, to the moment when she ceased to compose.

Today, they take a peek inside the Carwithen's family home where Doreen's mother, Dulcie, a music teacher, was determined that her daughters should have every opportunity to fulfil her dream of becoming a concert pianist.

Men of Sherwood Forest (excerpt), arr Philip Lane

BBC Concert Orchestra

Gavin Sutherland, conductor

To the Public Danger (Prelude and Apotheosis), arr. Philip Lane

Serenade for tenor and piano

Clear had the day been

James Gilchrist, tenor

Nathan Williamson, piano

String Quartet no 1

III: Allegro

Sorrel Quartet

Concerto for piano and strings

Howard Shelley, piano

London Symphony Orchestra

Richard Hickox, conductor

Donald Macleod explores the life of 20th-century British composer Doreen Carwithen.

202202London In The Blitz20221122Donald Macleod follows Doreen Carwithen's wartime experiences as a young music student in the capital city.

Doreen Carwithen is one of only a handful of female British composers who worked in the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s. Dramas, mysteries, horror flicks, documentaries, the thirty-plus films she scored form a substantial part of her musical legacy.

Carwithen first came to critical attention in the concert hall, with the catchily titled ODTAA, One damn thing after another, in 1947. Predictably, newspaper headlines made much of her gender and her youth. She was just 24. It seemed as if a bright future lay ahead, yet, at the beginning of the 1960s, Carwithen would stop writing music, a situation which perhaps in part explains why her music dropped off the radar for many years. To mark the centenary of her birth, Donald Macleod brings to light the little-known yet fascinating story of this 20th-century British composer.

Leah Broad, whose new biography of Carwithen is due out next year joins Donald Macleod to discuss Carwithen's progress at the Royal Academy of Music. Her theory teacher was the composer William Alwyn and their meeting went on to become one of the defining relationships of her life.

Violin sonata

Vivace (excerpt)

Fenella Humphreys, violin

Nathan Williamson, piano

3 songs to texts by Walter de la Mare

No 1: Noon

No 2: Echo

No 3: The Ride-by Nights

Alessandro Fisher, tenor

JongSun Woo, piano

Piano sonatina

Daniel Grimwood, piano

ODTAA (One Damn Thing After Another)

London Symphony Orchestra

Richard Hickox, conductor

Donald Macleod follows Doreen Carwithen's wartime experiences in the capital.

202203Drawing The Landscape20221123Donald Macleod and Leah Broad consider how much of an influence ideas about the English landscape may have had on Doreen Carwithen's orchestral music.

Doreen Carwithen is one of only a handful of female British composers who worked in the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s. Dramas, mysteries, horror flicks, documentaries, the thirty-plus films she scored form a substantial part of her musical legacy.

Carwithen first came to critical attention in the concert hall, with the catchily titled ODTAA, One damn thing after another, in 1947. Predictably, newspaper headlines made much of her gender and her youth. She was just 24. It seemed as if a bright future lay ahead, yet, at the beginning of the 1960s, Carwithen would stop writing music, a situation which perhaps in part explains why her music dropped off the radar for many years.

To mark the centenary of her birth, Donald Macleod is joined by Leah Broad, whose biography of Carwithen is due to be published in 2023. Together they bring to light the little-known yet fascinating story of this 20th-century British composer.

By the 1950s, the pressures of maintaining a long-standing affair with the composer William Alwyn were taking a toll on Carwithen's health. She was also finding it difficult to get performances of her work.

Suffolk Suite

III: Suffolk Morris (excerpt)

London Symphony Orchestra

Richard Hickox, conductor

Bishop Rock

String Quartet no 1

II: Lento

Tippett Quartet

Four Piano Preludes

Hiroaki Takenouchi, piano

I: Prelude. Moderato

II: Orford Ness Allegretto grazioso

III: Morris. Ritmico

IV: Framlingham Castle. Alla marcia

Donald Macleod and Leah Broad discuss the influence of the English landscape on Carwithen.

202204Crisis And Resolution20221124Donald Macleod recounts how Doreen Carwithen's elopement with William Alwyn happened, and considers the effect of this action on Carwithen's career.

Doreen Carwithen is one of only a handful of female British composers who worked in the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s. Dramas, mysteries, horror flicks, documentaries, the thirty plus films she scored form a substantial part of her musical legacy.

Carwithen first came to critical attention in the concert hall, with the catchily titled ODTAA, One damn thing after another, in 1947. Predictably, newspaper headlines made much of her gender and her youth. She was just 24. It seemed as if a bright future lay ahead, yet, at the beginning of the 1960s Carwithen would stop writing music, a situation which perhaps in part explains why her music dropped off the radar for many years.

To mark the centenary of her birth, Donald Macleod is joined by Leah Broad, whose biography of Carwithen is due to be published in 2023. Together they bring to light the little-known yet fascinating story of this 20th century British composer.

On 19th April 1961 Doreen Carwithen and William Alwyn travelled to Coventry. At the hotel they each wrote to their respective families explaining that they were now living together. From this point on, Carwithen changed her name by deed poll to Alwyn, and preferred to be called Mary. Her life had changed irrevocably.

String Quartet no 2

II: excerpt

Tippett Quartet

Echo (Who called?)

James Gilchrist,

Nathan Williamson, piano

Cello sonatina

Andrei Ionita, cello

Lilit Grigoryan, piano

Mantrap Suites, arr Philip Lane

I: Main Titles and opening scene

II: Woman in Danger

III: Closing Scene and End titles

BBC Concert Orchestra

Gavin Sutherland, conductor

Donald Macleod recounts how Doreen Carwithen's elopement with William Alwyn came about.

202205 LASTWorking In The Movies20221125Donald Macleod explores Doreen Carwithen's life as a film composer in the 1940s and 50s and the musical legacy she's left behind.

Doreen Carwithen is one of only a handful of female British composers who worked in the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s. Dramas, mysteries, horror flicks, documentaries, the thirty-plus films she scored form a substantial part of her musical legacy.

Carwithen first came to critical attention in the concert hall, with the catchily titled ODTAA, One damn thing after another, in 1947. Predictably, newspaper headlines made much of her gender and her youth. She was just 24. It seemed as if a bright future lay ahead, yet, at the beginning of the 1960s, Carwithen would stop writing music, a situation which perhaps in part explains why her music dropped off the radar for many years.

To mark the centenary of her birth, Donald Macleod is joined by Leah Broad, whose biography of Carwithen is due to be published in 2023. Together they bring to light the little-known yet fascinating story of this 20th-century British composer.

In 1947 when she was still a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Carwithen was offered one of the newly created J. Arthur Rank apprenticeships as a film composer at Denham Studios. She was the only woman selected to join the scheme and quickly showed herself to have a real talent for the genre.

Three Cases of Murder Suite, arr Philip Lane

III: Reception at the Connemaras (excerpt)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Gavin Sutherland, conductor

The Men of Sherwood Forest, arr Philip Lane

Travel Royal Suite, arr Philip Lane

Three Cases of Murder, arr Philip Lane

I: Main Titles

II: Mr X's Gavotte

East Anglian Holiday, arr Philip Lane

Boys in Brown Suite, arr Philip Lane

I: Main Titles and opening scene

II: Escape Plan

III: Kitty and Jackie. End titles