Reviewed by Anna Scoggins
When asked to review this book, as a musician I was interested to find out what had influenced historian Dr Philippa Tudor’s decision to research the Holst family and Mrs Isobel Holst in particular, rather than any other composer. I discovered there were several reasons for her choice of subject. Philippa had loved singing Holst’s 8-part anthem, ‘Ave Maria’ as a teenager, and having spent many enjoyable hours attending concerts in the Holst Hall at JAGS, she decided to find out more about Gustav Holst. Philippa then realised that although there are comprehensive biographies of both Gustav and their daughter Imogen (also a composer), there was very little reference to Isobel, which led her to reflect on the role played by composers’ wives at a time when women often did not receive recognition for their own contribution, or even expect to do so.
The book opens with a discussion of Ann Oakley’s study ‘Forgotten Wives: How women get written out of history’ (Policy Press, Briston, 2021) and then goes on to examine the lives of Isobel, Gustav and Imogen by drawing on many letters and recorded conversations with those who knew Isobel and her family, before ending with Philippa’s view on the importance of Isobel in her partnership with Gustav.
Philippa’s extensive research has resulted in a fascinating and thought-provoking account of Isobel and Gustav’s marriage and I particularly like the way the reader is provided with evidence in an objective way, and allowed to reach their own conclusion on whether Isobel was ‘an equal partner’. I am very much looking forward to reading the results of Philippa’s current research project, which is on the life of Jelka Rosen, wife of composer Frederick Delius.
Published by Circaidy Gregory Press in March 2022
ISBN 9781910841594, £14.99