Between new sounds and old songs, Kate Molleson shares the story of Ruth Crawford-Seeger

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) had multiple lives. As Ruth, she was an aspiring poet and teacher, who longed to become a mother. Crawford the composer wrote some of the most daring pages of 20th-century American music, granting her a place among the group of the 'Ultra-Modernists'. And, as the matriarch of the Seeger dynasty, she collected and arranged countless pieces from treasures of the folk tradition. With Kate Molleson, discover the extraordinary life and work of a major American composer, in a story of creative experimentations, of family bonds, and most of all, of joy in music-making, accompanied by the memories of Crawford's daughter and folk legend, Peggy Seeger.

Music Featured:

Little WaltzFive Songs to Poems by Carl Sandburg (1, Home Thoughts; 2, White Moon)Theme and VariationsSelection from American Folk Songs for ChildrenDiaphonic Suite No 2 for bassoon and cello Kaleidoscopic Changes on an Original Theme, Ending with a FugueDiaphonic Suite No 3 for FluteWhirligigPreludes for PianoCapriceSonata for Violin and PianoTrad: Prisoner BluesMusic for Small OrchestraMarion Bauer: Four Piano PiecesSelection from 19 American Folk Songs for pianoThree Songs to poems by Carl SandburgDiaphonic Suite No 4 for oboe and violoncelloThree Chants for Female ChorusString QuartetDiaphonic Suite No 1 for oboeSelection from Animal Folk Songs for ChildrenPreludes for PianoTwo Ricercare to poems by Hsi Tseng TsiangPeggy Seeger: How I Long For PeaceSelection from American Folk Songs for ChristmasAndante for stringsTrad: "New River Train”Trad: "Midnight Special"Trad: "Irene (Goodnight, Irene)"Charles Seeger: John HardyPiano Study in Mixed AccentsSuite No 1, for five wind instruments and pianoElizabeth Cotten: "Freight Train"Rissolty, RossoltyPiano SonataDiaphonic Suite for two clarinetsPiano Study in Mixed Accents (Version 3)Suite for Wind QuintetFive Canons, for pianoPeggy Seeger: "Everything Changes"

Presented by Kate MollesonProduced by Julien Rosa for BBC Audio Wales and West

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028k1v

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z