THE LADIES SPEAK:
Mary Howe
Mary Howe was born into a wealthy Washingtonian family that gave her access to many dignitaries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries – which later benefited her as she helped the city establish its first national orchestra – and an elite musical education at the Peabody Conservatory and, as an adult, under Nadia Boulanger in Paris. As such, European influences – Impression, Romanticism, nocturnes – were “sprinkled” into her oeuvre, says pianist and scholar Elaine Lim. But Howe, who as a youth developed a close bond with her African-American nurse, was also influenced by the popular songs, hymns, jazz, rags, and spirituals of her day. Join us for our latest episode, as Lim explores the gumbo that made up Howe’s unique musical voice and led to the composition of resplendent works such as her own Nocturne. Featuring Lim's solo performance of Nocturne.
