Dora Bright

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Dora Bright

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{{short description|English composer and pianist}}
{{Short description|English composer and pianist}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
[[File:Dora Bright (1862–1951).png|thumb|right|250px|Bright in ''[[The Sketch]]'', 11 December 1901]]
[[File:Dora Bright (1862–1951).png|thumb|right|250px|Bright in ''[[The Sketch]]'', 11 December 1901]]


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==Royal Academy and touring==
==Royal Academy and touring==
[[File:Walter Macfarren 001.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Walter Macfarren]]]]
[[File:Walter Macfarren 001.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Walter Macfarren]]]]
While at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] during 1881–89, Bright's teachers included [[Walter Macfarren]] and [[Ebenezer Prout]]. She was the first woman to receive the [[Charles_Lucas_(musician)#Charles_Lucas_Medal|Charles Lucas Medal]] for composition, for her ''Air and Variations'' for String Quartet in 1888. Her circle of close friends there included fellow students [[Edward German]] and his fiancée [[Ethel Mary Boyce]]. Boyce subsequently partnered her in concert performances of Bright's piano duet ''Variations on an Original Theme of Sir G. A. Macfarren'', named for [[George Alexander Macfarren]], their teacher's brother.
While at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] during 1881–89, Bright's teachers included [[Walter Macfarren]] and [[Ebenezer Prout]]. She was the first woman to receive the [[Charles Lucas (musician)#Charles Lucas Medal|Charles Lucas Medal]] for composition, for her ''Air and Variations'' for String Quartet in 1888. Her circle of close friends there included fellow students [[Edward German]] and his fiancée [[Ethel Mary Boyce]]. Boyce subsequently partnered her in concert performances of Bright's piano duet ''Variations on an Original Theme of Sir G. A. Macfarren'', named for [[George Alexander Macfarren]], their teacher's brother.


In 1889, 1890 and 1892 she made concert tours of Germany, including Dresden, Cologne and Leipzig, with performances of her Piano Concerto in A minor. The Concerto was also performed at the Crystal Palace under [[August Manns]] in 1891. In 1892 she became the first woman to be invited to perform at a [[Royal Philharmonic Society|Philharmonic Society]] concert, where she was the soloist in her new ''Fantasia No. 2'' for piano and orchestra. That year she married Wyndham Knatchbull (1829–1900), a captain of the [[3rd Dragoon Guards]] and a great-grandson of [[Sir Edward Knatchbull, 7th Baronet|Edward Knatchbull, 7th Baronet of Mersham Hatch]]. He was 33 years her senior and died in 1900, leaving her a wealthy widow.Robert Matthew-Walker. Notes to SOMM CD 273 (2019) Thereafter she lived at [[Babington House]] in [[Babington, Somerset|Babington]], Somerset, (the Knatchbull family home) and became a local leader of charitable amateur productions such as performances of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] comic operas.
In 1889, 1890 and 1892 she made concert tours of Germany, including Dresden, Cologne and Leipzig, with performances of her Piano Concerto in A minor. The Concerto was also performed at the Crystal Palace under [[August Manns]] in 1891. In 1892 she became the first woman to be invited to perform at a [[Royal Philharmonic Society|Philharmonic Society]] concert, where she was the soloist in her new ''Fantasia No. 2'' for piano and orchestra. That year she married Wyndham Knatchbull (1829–1900), a captain of the [[3rd Dragoon Guards]] and a great-grandson of [[Sir Edward Knatchbull, 7th Baronet|Edward Knatchbull, 7th Baronet of Mersham Hatch]]. He was 33 years her senior and died in 1900, leaving her a wealthy widow.Robert Matthew-Walker. Notes to SOMM CD 273 (2019) Thereafter she lived at [[Babington House]] in [[Babington, Somerset|Babington]], Somerset, (the Knatchbull family home) and became a local leader of charitable amateur productions such as performances of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] comic operas.
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From around 1897, her pianistic career tailed off. She changed direction towards composing music for theatre and ballet. An early success in this line came in 1903 when ''The Dancing Girl and the Idol'', an oriental fantasy with words by [[Edith Balfour Lyttelton|Edith Lyttelton]], was given an amateur production at a prestigious charity event in [[Chatsworth House]]. In 1904, the piece was performed at Chatsworth again, by royal request, as [[Edward VII|King Edward]] had missed the 1903 performance through illness.{{Cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS118287911/TTDA |title=The King and Queen at Chatsworth |newspaper=[[The Times]] |publication-place=London |issue=37284 |page=7 |date=7 January 1904 |access-date=2023-12-19 |via=The Times Digital Archive}}
From around 1897, her pianistic career tailed off. She changed direction towards composing music for theatre and ballet. An early success in this line came in 1903 when ''The Dancing Girl and the Idol'', an oriental fantasy with words by [[Edith Balfour Lyttelton|Edith Lyttelton]], was given an amateur production at a prestigious charity event in [[Chatsworth House]]. In 1904, the piece was performed at Chatsworth again, by royal request, as [[Edward VII|King Edward]] had missed the 1903 performance through illness.{{Cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS118287911/TTDA |title=The King and Queen at Chatsworth |newspaper=[[The Times]] |publication-place=London |issue=37284 |page=7 |date=7 January 1904 |access-date=2023-12-19 |via=The Times Digital Archive}}


She was also the composer for ballets created with Adeline Genée, in a collaboration which also involved the designer [[C. Wilhelm]]. These ballets included ''The Dryad'' (which became the best known), ''La Camargo'' and ''La danse''. As well as dancing these in London, Genée performed them during her successful tours of America, Australia and New Zealand. Bright also arranged the music for ''The Love Song'', a suite of dances for Genée and [[Anton Dolin (ballet dancer)|Anton Dolin]], which Genée danced for the last time at the [[London Coliseum|Coliseum]] in February 1933.
She was also the composer for ballets created with Adeline Genée, in a collaboration which also involved the designer [[C. Wilhelm]]. These ballets included ''The Dryad'' (which became the best known), ''La Camargo'' and ''La danse''. As well as dancing these in London, Genée performed them during her successful tours of America, Australia and New Zealand. Bright also arranged the music for ''The Love Song'', a suite of dances for Genée and [[Anton Dolin (ballet dancer)|Anton Dolin]], which Genée danced for the last time at the [[London Coliseum|Coliseum]] in February 1933.


Bright and Genée have been credited with "returning English ballet to the centre of London Theatre", and played key roles in the creation of the [[Royal Academy of Dance|Royal Academy of Dancing]].Anthony Bilton. [https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/dora-bright/ ''Dora Bright: Her Life and Works in the Public Eye''], Equinox Publishing (2023)
Bright and Genée have been credited with "returning English ballet to the centre of London Theatre", and played key roles in the creation of the [[Royal Academy of Dance|Royal Academy of Dancing]].Anthony Bilton. [https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/dora-bright/ ''Dora Bright: Her Life and Works in the Public Eye''], Equinox Publishing (2023)


==Later career and death==
==Later career and death==
Bright continued to compose orchestral music into the 20th century: her ''Variations for Piano and Orchestra'' was completed during a stay in Paris in 1910. ''Suite bretonne'' was performed at the [[The Proms|Proms]] in August 1917. On 8 April 1937 she performed an orchestral piano concert for [[BBC Radio]]. In 1938 she raised the money for the restoration of the small church in the grounds of her home, Babington House, which is attributed to [[Christopher Wren|Sir Christopher Wren]].'Death of Mrs Dora Knatchbull', in ''The Somerset Standard'', 23 November 1951, p. 1 On 28 April 1939 the BBC broadcast her playing from Babington House.
Bright continued to compose orchestral music into the 20th century: her ''Variations for Piano and Orchestra'' was completed during a stay in Paris in 1910. ''Suite bretonne'' was performed at the [[The Proms|Proms]] in August 1917. On 8 April 1937 she performed an orchestral piano concert for [[BBC Radio]]. In 1938 she raised the money for the restoration of the small church in the grounds of her home, Babington House, which is attributed to [[Christopher Wren|Sir Christopher Wren]].'Death of Mrs Dora Knatchbull', in ''The Somerset Standard'', 23 November 1951, p. 1 On 28 April 1939 the BBC broadcast her playing from Babington House.


Around 1940, Bright began to work for the magazine ''[[Musical Opinion]]''. Her association with the magazine coincided with a re-directing of its editorial policy onto a sternly reactionary course and a decline in readership.{{cite web|url=http://www.havergalbrian.org/thesignificance.htm|title=The significance of Brian|website=www.havergalbrian.org}}
Around 1940, Bright began to work for the magazine ''[[Musical Opinion]]''. Her association with the magazine coincided with a re-directing of its editorial policy onto a sternly reactionary course and a decline in readership.{{cite web|url=http://www.havergalbrian.org/thesignificance.htm|title=The significance of Brian|website=www.havergalbrian.org}}
She died at Babington in 1951 at the age of 89.'Obituary: Dora Bright', in ''The Stage'', 22 November, 1951, p. 11
She died at Babington in 1951 at the age of 89.'Obituary: Dora Bright', in ''The Stage'', 22 November 1951, p. 11


==Works==
==Works==
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