Elizabeth Maconchy

Composer Elizabeth Maconchy was one of the most prominent female composers of the 20th century, creating works that were widely performed and acclaimed. Her set of 13 string quartets, in particular, is considered among the finest contemporary chamber music from the British Isles. Her piano concerto was performed in Prague by Erwin Schulhoff. Maconchy began to find performances in England, but her career was interrupted by a bout with tuberculosis. She began to develop a distinctive style that resembled Bartók's more in its economical focus on rhythms and specific intervals than in any orientation toward folk music. In 1959, she was elected chair of the Composers Guild of Great Britain. More than 60 of her works have been recorded; her complete string quartets were issued by the Bingham Quartet on the Forum Records label in 2013.