I think it’s the first time I was at a concert program like this, consisting entirely of classical music composed by women.

To begin English composer Ethel Smyth (1858–1944) greeted us from the stage, introducing each piece that she played on the Steinway at Heliconian Hall Friday September 11th.

Of course having died over 70 years ago we were watching a dramatic portrayal, Jennifer King playing the piano and adding an English accent to her whimsical feministic commentary. While it must have been fun to dress up as an advocate for women and then to tell us how women need to stick together, the message made a lot of sense. A century later, we still don’t hear nearly enough of this superb music.

Ethel (Jennifer) used a word that was new to me, namely “suffragist”. The word I have always used is “suffragette”, a word coined as disparagement by a journalist that was eventually embraced. It reminds me of “impressionist”, another descriptor first meant as a kind of insult that we continue to use today. My online research tells me that the difference between the two comes from the kind of activism. A suffragist was peaceful, while a suffragette would be more militant.

Ethel (Jennifer) played a series of piano pieces for us, including a compelling series of biographical commentaries on the composers.

In the second half of the concert, when Jennifer was no longer attired in her black & silver wig nor with her suffragist colours across her shoulders, we heard a bit about the origins of the portrayal. In 2019 or so, conversations between Jennifer and collaborators (sorry I don’t know their names) led to the creation of a Fringe type show, a combination of the portrayal of Ethel Smyth with a series of performances of piano music. I’m paraphrasing from what I heard Friday, but indeed I heard some of this info before, when I interviewed Jennifer, in anticipation of her CD Souvenance.

At the time of the interview in March 2025 I was vaguely aware of her intention to play in Toronto sometime in the future: the concert that just transpired. And Jennifer will be back next March 22nd playing a concert with Piano Lunaire.

But first I want to say a bit more about this concert.

Ethel (Jennifer) told us about herself, the composer of the first opera by a female composer to be produced by the Metropolitan Opera. She told us of her meeting with Queen Victoria, the experience of playing & singing her Mass at the piano for the Queen, who was so impressed that she arranged to have the work performed with orchestra & a full chorus at the Royal Albert Hall.

And Ethel (Jennifer) played two of her piano pieces for us, a prelude in C Major and a Nocturne in C minor.

Ethel (Jennifer) went on to tell us of other composers, playing examples of their music for us. We heard of Clara Schumann and her busy life as mother, teacher, performer and also composer. We heard about Fanny Mendelssohn, and heard one of her charming pieces.

I heard some names that were new to me, such as Delphine von Schauroth, reputedly a great beauty as well as a superb pianist & composer, and heard a powerful piece, fiery and romantic.

In the second half of the concert Jennifer simply played without the costume or the accent. We heard music from Mel Bonis, Cecile Chaminade, the brilliant Jazz Nocturne of Dana Suesse and Jennifer’s own improvisation based on Joni Mitchell’s Blue.

Jennifer also told us of a commission from one of her former students, a piece for piano including some vocalization, from Carmen Braden titled “night thoughts are not so dark in June.” The title makes sense when I hear that Carmen Braden lives in Yellowknife, where daylight on the summer solstice lasts over 20 hours.

Speaking as a classical music lover who attends lots of concerts this was different on so many levels. We had the portrayal in costume to start, the commentaries between the pieces, and superb performances. And I can’t forget the whole question of women composers, that their music is superb and deserves to be heard, and not just as the single token piece on a program of male composers.

When I asked her a bit about the concert afterwards, Jennifer was glad to hear that I had had
“a new experience. That’s what I am going for – shaking up HOW we enjoy this “classical” music tradition and just rattling the cage of formality.”

Not only was the cage of formality successfully rattled, the piano playing was superb, stunning works.

I have to somehow get my hands on these pieces. No I won’t be portraying Ethel Smyth, but I must find this music. Off to the library…