Leah Broad
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leahbroad.bsky.social
Leah Broad
@leahbroad.bsky.social
3.3K followers 830 following 270 posts
Writer | Presenter | Historian

I write about music, women's history & cultural history.

QUARTET out now at https://linktr.ee/leahbroadwriter

Substack: http://leahbroad.substack.com
Website: http://leahbroad.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leahbroad
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leahbroad.bsky.social
*NEW POST*

November's going to be a big month for composer Rebecca Clarke. All her works will be published, her songs recorded, and a focus day on her music at the Wigmore Hall. In this week's post I'm writing about why Clarke deserves to be celebrated

leahbroad.substack.com/p/celebratin...
October 19, 2025 at 6:44 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
It's finally here!! Avril Coleridge-Taylor is getting the first album ever dedicated entirely to her works. My post this week is about why Avril, her music, and the album matter

"Her compositions tell both one woman’s story, and a whole social history too."

leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
October 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Happy release day to Dobrinka Tabakova! I cannot recommend this beautiful album enough - it is every bit the perfect successor to her wonderful 'String Paths'. Give yourself a Friday treat and take an hour to listen to this ❤️

open.spotify.com/album/7azNPv...
Pale cream cover of the album 'Sun Triptych' by composer Dobrinka Tabakova.
September 26, 2025 at 9:15 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
What should we do with recordings by artists whose views we disagree with? And does it change how we hear Beethoven's music, knowing that it was used to bolster the Nazi regime?

On pianists Myra Hess and Elly Ney, and Beethoven on both sides of #WWII

open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
Image of pianist Myra Hess at the piano. "Myra and Elly's stories show just how mercurial musical meaning can be, and how much the stories we tell about music matter. In different contexts, with different stories surrounding it, the same music can "mean" completely different things to different listeners." "Does this change how we hear Beethoven's music, knowing that it was capable of being used in such a way? Should we change the language we use about "great" classical music? And what do we do now with Elly Ney's recordings of Beethoven sonatas, knowing her Nazi history?"
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Off to the Courtauld to speak about the women on Katrina Lee's new album of solo violin works! Come join us if you're in London this evening: courtauld.ac.uk/whats-on/chr...
April 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
The @womensprize.bsky.social throwing a great party as ever - congratulations to all the shortlisted fiction authors!!!
April 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Off to Kings Place to speak at the EMPOWER panel on women in music!! Really looking forward to chatting with @errollynwallen.bsky.social, Jess Gillam & Heloise Werner about moving forward in classical music 💪🏻🎵
March 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
*NEW POST*

As we move into March I'm thinking about International Women's Day - why it still matters and how we use it to move forward

Full post on my Substack: open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
March 2, 2025 at 9:25 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
With the wonderful @jessicaduchen.bsky.social at the National Gallery to talk about pianist Myra Hess!! Keep your eyes peeled for this later in the year on Radio 3, & if you can't wait for Myra Hess goodness then Jessica's new biography is out NEXT WEEK www.kahnandaverill.co.uk/product/myra...
Photograph of Jessica Duchen (left) and Leah Broad (right) in front of the Myra Hess plaque in the National Gallery, London.
February 18, 2025 at 12:08 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
The @womensprize.bsky.social longlist is out today!! So thrilled to be able to celebrate these brilliant books, showcasing an astonishing range of expertise and creative approaches to non-fiction writing ❤️📚
Photo of the women's prize longlisted books: Autocracy inc Embers of the hands The eagle and the hart A thousand threads The story of a heart Raising hare Ootlin Why fish don't exist Agent zo By the fire we carry Wild thing The Peepshow Sister in law Tracker Private revolutions
February 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Back on the road recording for Radio 3! Look out later this year for women playing Beethoven during #WWII 👀👀 #classicalmusic #beethoven
February 6, 2025 at 7:21 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Margaret Bonds: The Ballad of the Brown King. For the final #musicadvent we're having Bonds' beautiful, celebratory Christmas cantata about the African king Balthazar with a text by Langston Hughes - Merry Christmas all!! open.spotify.com/track/1DyO1A...
Black and white photograph of compoer Margaret Bonds. She is wearing a pale sequinned top, and a dark skirt. She sits in front of a curtain. Cover image of the Dessoff Choirs & Orchestra recording of 'The Ballad of the Brown King'. It has a black and white photograph of Bonds.
December 25, 2024 at 7:07 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Spoiled for choice on xmassy stuff from RVW, but this for baritone chorus and orchestra is wonderfully relaxing #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/46tzM8...
Black and white photograph of Vaughan Williams as an older man, holding his cat. He is wearing a suit and tie. Cover image of a Naxos disc of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Hodie.
December 24, 2024 at 6:12 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Elizabeth Poston: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree. One of THE quintessential Christmas choral pieces, sung beautifully here by the Choirs of Pembroke College Cambridge #musicadvent
Black and white photograph of composer Elizabeth Poston. She is standing in a foggy field leaning on a fence, wearing a long cardigan and hair tied back with a scarf. Cover image of the album 'All Things Are Quite Silent' by the Choirs of Pembroke College Cambridge, conducted by Anna Lapwood. It has a multicoloured abstract suggesting a skyscape over the sea.
December 23, 2024 at 6:14 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Giacomo Puccini: Crisantemi. Happy birthday Puccini! Born #OTD in 1858. Instead of an opera I'm going for the rather wonderful 'Crisantemi' (Chrysanthemums) for strings, one of Puccini's few instrumental works - supposedly written in a single night #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/0ObV8v...
Black and white photograph of Puccini. He has a thick moustache and dark hair, and while facing the camera his face is half in shadow. He wears a dark suit. Cover image of an album of Puccini's music including Crisantemi, conducted by Antonio Pappano.
December 22, 2024 at 11:10 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Victor Hely-Hutchinson: A Carol Symphony. Have some exuberant Christmas silliness from Hely-Hutchinson. Takes itself way too seriously, very here for it #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/4UrJNK...
Black and white photograph of composer Victor Hely-Hutchinson. He is wearing a dark suit with a striped tie, and has a thin moustache. The cover image of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra's recording of 'A Carol Symphony'. It has a painting of Father Christmas asleep in front of a fire, with a cat on his lap.
December 21, 2024 at 1:41 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker. Can't have Christmas without the Nutcracker! This is Duke Ellington's take on the iconic ballet #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/3pZvvT...
Black and white photograph of Tchaikovsky. He is wearing a dark jacket, and has thick facial hair despite a receding hairline. Cover of the album 'The Nutcracker Suite' by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.
December 19, 2024 at 9:00 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Ethel Smyth: The Boatswain's Mate. Because nothing says Christmas like comic opera. If you like Gilbert & Sullivan, try Smyth's suffrage opera for size - it has some wonderful tunes and jokes that still translate a century later #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/0G5yPK...
Black and white photograph of the composer Ethel Smyth with her sheepdog Pan. She is wearing a hat and long coat with a shirt, tie, and long skirt with flat patent shoes. They are sitting on her outdoor table, by the window of her house Coign on Hook Heath. Cover of the premiere recording of Ethel Smyth's 'The Boatswain's Mate', conducted by Odaline de la Martinez. Nadine Benjamin, Edward Lee and Jeremy Huw Williams are the soloists, with the Lontano Ensemble.
December 18, 2024 at 10:13 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Beethoven: Trio No. 5 in D Major, Op. 70. Beethoven was baptised #OTD in 1770, so we're having one of his most spectacular trios, the 'Ghost' - rumoured to be nicknamed after a possible Macbeth opera. Perfect winter vibes #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/1DLYOf...
Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven. He is writing the score for his Missa Solemnis, and is wearing a dark coat, wide collared white shirt and a red scarf. Cover of a 'Beethoven Piano Trios' disc by Pinchas Zukerman, Jacqueline du Pré and Daniel Barenboim. It is a photograph of the three artists against a dark orange background.
December 17, 2024 at 9:16 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Elizabeth Maconchy: Nowell Sing We Now All And Some. If you want xmassy additions to your choral line-up, look no further than this jolly piece. Maconchy's choral works are an under-explored part of her rep & this is characteristically excellent #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/3mMTTs...
Black and white photograph of composer Elizabeth Maconchy. It is taken from the left hand side - she is looking down, wearing glasses, and has short hair curled at the bottom. She wears a dark striped shirt. Cover image of 'Christmas Music from King's', but the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. It shows two stained glass panels.
December 16, 2024 at 9:02 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2. Because the first version of this concerto was premiered on 15 Dec 1900 with the composer himself playing, and it's still a vibrant & astonishing work over 100 years later. #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/27AoYp...
Black and white photograph of composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. He looks straight at the camera, and is wearing a dark suit. He has close-cropped hair and is leaning on his right hand. Cover image of Yuja Wang's album of Rachmaninoff concertos, with Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The cover is a photograph of the pianist, conductor and orchestra standing for an bow - Dudamel is wearing a black suit, Wang a silver dress.
December 15, 2024 at 3:12 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Florence Price: String Quartet No. 2. This is such an emotionally intense work, and the second movement is particularly beautiful. One of my favourite Price works #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/0FpjpL...
Photograph of composer Florence Price. She is wearing a black dress, and has short hair. Cover image of the Avalon String Quartet's recording of music for sting quartet by Florence Price and Leo Sowerby. It shows a skyline at twilight, with a number of skyscrapers.
December 14, 2024 at 1:39 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
First rehearsal for the world premiere recording of Avril Coleridge-Taylor's Piano Concerto and it sounds phenomenal 🥹 recording with Samantha Ege, BBC Philharmonic & @jkaconductor.bsky.social in January!!
Photograph of pianist Samantha Ege at a grand piano. She is wearing a grey knit jumper dress, and there is a yellow curtain in the background. Photograph of pianist Samantha Ege at the piano, and conductor John Andrews standing beside her pointing at the score on the stand. There is a yellow curtain in the background.
December 12, 2024 at 2:42 PM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Darius Milhaud: Scaramouche. Some sunshine for this very grey morning! Originally incidental music, this suite was written for two students of the pianist Marguerite Long, and was immediately popular from its premiere in 1937. #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/3k4xV3...
Black and white photograph of composer Darius Milhaud conducting. He is looking down, and in a varge music room. Cover for 'Pas de Deux: French Music for Piano Duo' by Mona and Rica Bard. It is a photograph of the two pianists seated on a bench in a city backstreet.
December 12, 2024 at 9:08 AM
leahbroad.bsky.social
Grace Williams: Ballads. Newly recorded this year by @jkaconductor.bsky.social & the BBC Phil, the Ballads are a gloriously dramatic, sumptuous work. My personal favourite is the haunting 2nd mvt March, perfect for a cold winter morning ❄️ #musicadvent open.spotify.com/track/1tlQos...
Black and white photo of composer Grace Williams. She is in her twenties to thirties, and has short bobbed hair. She wears a shirt with a pussy bow. Cover of the album Grace Williams: Orchestral Works by John Andrews and the BBC Philharmonic. It has a painting of waves on the front.
December 11, 2024 at 8:37 AM