Join contralto Melissa Elsman and pianist Kathryn Southworth for Part Two of this lecture–recital exploring the life and music of nineteenth-century Parisian composer Augusta Holmès. Denied access to the Paris Conservatory like her male peers, Holmès persuaded César Franck to take her on as a private student. “She arouses in me the most unspiritual desires,” her composition instructor is famously quoted as saying. Yet Holmès’s brilliance extended far beyond her presence: during her studies with Franck, she began composing large-scale works—an endeavor considered forbidden for women of her time.

The program examines the height of her fame, including the commission of her monumental Ode Triumphale to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, which premiered in 1889 at the Palais de l’Industrie with 1,200 musicians. This is followed by the profound hardships she faced, both professionally and personally, which left her financially strained. Despite these challenges, Holmès remained resilient, turning toward spirituality and maintaining hope and optimism. Selected songs from her Twenty Melodies will be performed to reflect the struggles she endured, alongside selections from her Divine Tales, which showcase her enduring strength and devotion to the divine.

Bach’s Lunches are free and open to the public. They are made possible in part through the generosity of the Walker Fund. Click here for more information on this Concord Community Music School Event.