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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.

In this second episode, Crawford emerges as a bold and determined young woman who experiments with sound. Along the way, her connection with a new teacher soon evolves into what will become lifelong partnership.

Caprice
Jenny Lin, piano

Sonata for Violin and Piano
Mia Wu, violin
Cheryl Seltzer, piano

Trad:
Those Gambler’s Blues
Carl Sandburg, voice

Trad:
Prisoner Blues
Ozella Jones, voice

Music for Small Orchestra
I. Slow, pensive
Schönberg Ensemble
Oliver Knussen, conductor

Marion Bauer
Four Piano Pieces
III. Toccata
Virginia Eskin, piano

Selection from 19 American Folk Songs for piano
"The Babes in the Woods"
Virginia Eskin, piano

Trad, arr Ruth Crawford Seeger:
"Skip-A To My Lou"
Mike and Peggy Seeger

Three Songs to poems by Carl Sandburg
I. Rat Riddles
Lucy Shelton, soprano
Schönberg Ensemble
Oliver Knussen, conductor

Diaphonic Suite No 4 for oboe and violoncello
I. Moderato
Christian Hammel, oboe
Helmut Menzler, cello

Presented by Kate Molleson
Produced by Julien Rosa
A ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Audio Wales & West production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3