Grace Williams
Grace Williams was a Welsh composer known for her orchestral and instrumental compositions, with her most popular work being Penillion.
Composer
February 19, 1906
February 10, 1977
70
Grace Williams (1906-1977) was a renowned Welsh composer celebrated for her versatile, sophisticated, and expressive musical style. Among her most notable works are the choral symphony “The Dancers,” the string quartet “Rhosyn (Rose),” and the oratorio “The Parlour.” Williams also composed the ballet score “Bluebeard,” the opera “Pride of the Summer,” and was the first Welsh woman to score a feature film, “Blue Scar.” She holds the distinction of being the first British woman to score a symphony and was a fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Her most popular work, “Penillion,” was written for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales in 1955, and she explored similar themes in her Trumpet Concerto of 1963. Although choral music is a strong tradition in Wales, Williams primarily composed orchestral or instrumental pieces. She also wrote the symphonic poem “Elegy for String Orchestra” in 1936, which she revised in 1940. During World War II, Williams composed a sinfonia concertante for piano and orchestra, her first symphony, and the string orchestral work “Sea Sketches” while in Grantham.
In addition to her composing talents, Williams was an accomplished pianist. She played the piano throughout her life, performing as a soloist in various concerts and earning the respect of her peers and critics. Grace Williams is particularly remembered for her orchestral and instrumental compositions, with “Penillion” being her most well-known work.
