BBC Radio 3 marked the birthday of British composer Pamela Harrison last month by playing a track from ‘Lonely Landscape’, a new album of her chamber works curated by Tashmina artist Robert Plane.

Presenter Petroc Trelawny selected the third movement of Harrison’s Octetto Pastorale to play during BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast on 28th November, which would have been her 109th birthday.

‘Lonely Landscape: Chamber Music and Song by Pamela Harrison’ was released by Resonus last month, and follows the success of Robert’s first disc of Harrison’s chamber music, which was praised by Gramophone for its “adept and sympathetic” performances. Robert is joined on this disc by tenor James Gilchrist and the Royal Welsh Chamber Players, an ensemble that brings together distinguished teaching staff from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and talented recent graduates.

The Octetto Pastorale was composed in 1981 for the Endymion Ensemble, and marries the tradition of outdoor writing for wind ensemble and the lifelong inspiration that Harrison took from the English countryside, something that is reflected in both her music and visual art, and example of which can see on the album’s cover.

Unjustly neglected during her lifetime, Pamela Harrison’s work is now enjoying attention thanks to Robert’s research and exposition of her music, which has in turn inspired performances of her work by other artists.

Born in 1915, Harrison’s relegation to the shadows of Britain’s musical mid-century was a fate shared by most female composers, and many of her major works remained unperformed until recently. Consequently, both ‘Lonely Landscape’ and Robert’s first disc of her music present world premiere recordings of her chamber works.

The broadcast may be heard via this link, with the track from Octetto Pastorale beginning at 1:57:30. This episode will be available to listen to until 27th December.

More details about ‘Lonely Landscape’ can be found on this page, which also contains links for streaming the album.