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{{Short description|British composer}}
{{Short description|British composer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}


{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
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| years_active =
| years_active =
| known_for =
| known_for =
| spouse = Barnett Samuel<br>Bill Keal
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* Barnett Samuel
* Bill Keal
}}
| children = [[Raphael Samuel]]
| children = [[Raphael Samuel]]
}}
}}
'''Minna Keal''', ''née'' '''Mina Nerenstein''' (22 March 1909 – 14 November 1999) was a British [[composer]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-minna-keal-1126413.html |first=Tim |last=Bullamore |title=Obituary: Minna Keal |work=[[The Independent]] |date=16 November 1999 }}</ref> After early compositions as a student, she only returned to composing at the end of her life. Aged 80 when her music was first performed at the Proms in 1989, she experienced her return to composition as a new life:
'''Minna Keal''', ''née'' '''Mina Nerenstein''' (22 March 1909 – 14 November 1999) was a British [[composer]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-minna-keal-1126413.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-minna-keal-1126413.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |first=Tim |last=Bullamore |title=Obituary: Minna Keal |work=[[The Independent]] |date=16 November 1999 |access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref> After early compositions as a student, she only returned to composing at the end of her life. Aged 80 when her music was first performed at the Proms in 1989, she experienced her return to composition as a new life:
{{quote|I felt I was coming to the end of my life, but now I feel as if I'm just beginning. I feel as if I'm living my life in reverse.<ref name="Fuller1994"/>}}
{{blockquote|I felt I was coming to the end of my life, but now I feel as if I'm just beginning. I feel as if I'm living my life in reverse.<ref name="Fuller1994"/>}}


==Life==
==Life==
Mina Nerenstein was born in the [[East End of London]], the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants from [[Belarus]] who ran a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] bookselling business in [[Petticoat Lane]]. Her father died in 1926. In 1928 she entered the [[Royal Academy of Music]], studying composition with [[William Alwyn]]. Student compositions included [[chamber works]] performed at the Academy, [[Whitechapel Gallery]] and [[Alexandra Palace]].<ref name="Fuller1994">{{cite book|author=Sophie Fuller|title=The Pandora guide to women composers: Britain and the United States 1629–present|url=https://archive.org/details/pandoraguidetowo00full|url-access=registration|year=1994|publisher=Pandora|isbn=978-0-04-440897-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/pandoraguidetowo00full/page/163 163–5]}}</ref>
Mina Nerenstein was born in the [[East End of London]], the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants from [[Belarus]] who ran a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] bookselling business in [[Petticoat Lane]]. Her father died in 1926. In 1928, she entered the [[Royal Academy of Music]], studying composition with [[William Alwyn]]. Student compositions included [[chamber works]] performed at the Academy, [[Whitechapel Gallery]] and [[Alexandra Palace]].<ref name="Fuller1994">{{cite book|author=Sophie Fuller|title=The Pandora Guide to Women Composers: Britain and the United States 1629–present |url=https://archive.org/details/pandoraguidetowo00full|url-access=registration|year=1994|publisher=Pandora|isbn=978-0-04-440897-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/pandoraguidetowo00full/page/163 163–5] |access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref>

According to her obituary, she had a promising start to a musical career. Her surviving student works include a ''Fantasie'' in C minor for violin and piano, a ''Ballade'' in F minor for viola and piano (first performed in 1929 by Philip Burton of the [[Griller Quartet]]) and ''Three Summer Sketches'' for piano. These early compositions are particularly passionate and full of rich harmonies and vibrant melodies.<ref name=":0" />


According to her obituary, she had a promising start to a musical career.<blockquote>Her student works are particularly passionate and full of rich harmonies and vibrant melodies. Those that survive include a Fantasie in C minor for violin and piano, a Ballade in F minor for viola and piano and Three Summer Sketches for piano. The Ballade was first performed in 1929 by Philip Burton of the Griller Quartet.<ref name=":0" /> </blockquote>In 1929, aged 20, she was forced to give up her musical study<ref name=":0" /> to help her mother in the family business. She married Barnett Samuel, a solicitor, had a son, [[Raphael Samuel|Raphael]] (later a well-known [[Marxist historiography|Marxist historian]]), and gave up composing. During the 1930s she was active in left-wing politics, and joined the [[British Communist Party]] in 1939. When the [[Anschluss]] occurred, she began working with local citizenry to help evacuate Jewish children who were being transported to Britain from Nazi occupied territories.<ref name=":0" /> On the break-up of her first marriage during [[World War II]] Mina worked in an aircraft factory near [[Slough]]. There, she met Bill Keal, and they eventually married in 1959.<ref name="Fuller1994" />
In 1929, aged 20, she was forced to give up her musical study<ref name=":0" /> to help her mother in the family business. She married Barnett Samuel, a solicitor, had a son, [[Raphael Samuel|Raphael]] (later a well-known [[Marxist historiography|Marxist historian]]), and gave up composing. During the 1930s she was active in left-wing politics, joining the [[British Communist Party]] in 1939. When the [[Anschluss]] occurred, she began working with local citizenry to help evacuate Jewish children who were being transported to Britain from Nazi occupied territories.<ref name=":0" /> On the break-up of her first marriage during [[World War II]] Mina worked in an aircraft factory near [[Slough]]. There, she met Bill Keal, and they eventually married in 1959.<ref name="Fuller1994" />


In 1975<ref>Interview with Michael Hall, BBC Radio 3, 4 September 1989</ref> the composer [[Justin Connolly]], having stumbled across some of Keal's youthful music archived at the Royal Academy of Music, encouraged her to start composing again, and she took composition lessons with him. Her String Quartet, Op. 1, was completed in 1978 and first performed in 1989. The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, followed in 1980. After taking lessons with [[Oliver Knussen]] in 1982, she completed her four-movement Symphony, Op. 3, which was performed as a [[BBC]] broadcast in 1988 and at the BBC Proms in 1989.<ref name="Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/nov/24/guardianobituaries1 The Guardian obituary] 24 November 1999</ref> ''Cantillation'' for violin and orchestra, Op. 4, was completed in 1988 and first performed in 1991.<ref name="Fuller1994" /> Between 1988 and 1994 she worked on the Cello Concerto, Op. 5, which was subsequently recorded by Alexander Baillie and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins for the NMC label. On the same record is her Ballade (1929) for cello and piano, in which Alexander Baillie is accompanied by pianist Martina Baillie.
In 1975,<ref>Interview with Michael Hall, BBC Radio 3, 4 September 1989</ref> the composer [[Justin Connolly]], having stumbled across some of Keal's youthful music archived at the Royal Academy of Music, encouraged her to start composing again, and she took composition lessons with him. Her String Quartet, Op. 1, was completed in 1978 and first performed in 1989. The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, followed in 1980. After taking lessons with [[Oliver Knussen]] in 1982, she completed her four-movement Symphony, Op. 3, which was performed as a [[BBC]] broadcast in 1988 and at the [[BBC Proms]] in 1989.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/nov/24/guardianobituaries1 |author=Alison Light. |title=Minna Keal [obituary] |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 November 1999 |access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref> ''Cantillation'' for violin and orchestra, Op. 4, was completed in 1988 and first performed in 1991.<ref name="Fuller1994" /> Between 1988 and 1994 she worked on the Cello Concerto, Op. 5, which was subsequently recorded by [[Alexander Baillie]] and the [[BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra]] under [[Martyn Brabbins]] for the NMC label. On the same record is her Ballade (1929) for cello and piano, in which Alexander Baillie is accompanied by pianist [[Martina Baillie]].


In 1999, "the Royal Academy of Music honoured its former pupil with a 90th birthday concert packed with friends and colleagues celebrating the composer who proved that you're never too old to make an impact." She died 14 November 1999.
In 1999, "the Royal Academy of Music honoured its former pupil with a 90th birthday concert packed with friends and colleagues celebrating the composer who proved that you're never too old to make an impact."<ref name=":0"/> She died on 14 November later that year.


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:English people of Belarusian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:English people of Belarusian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:English people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:English people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Women classical composers]]
[[Category:British women classical composers]]
[[Category:Jewish English musicians]]
[[Category:Jewish English musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century British classical composers]]
[[Category:British communists]]
[[Category:British communists]]
[[Category:Musicians from London]]
[[Category:Composers from London]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:20th-century English musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English women musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English women musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century British composers]]
[[Category:20th-century British women composers]]
[[Category:20th-century women composers]]

Latest revision as of 00:09, 6 November 2024

Minna Keal
Born
Mina Nerenstein

22 March 1909
London
Died14 November 1999
NationalityBritish
Alma materRoyal Academy of Music
Occupationcomposer
Spouses
  • Barnett Samuel
  • Bill Keal
ChildrenRaphael Samuel

Minna Keal, née Mina Nerenstein (22 March 1909 – 14 November 1999) was a British composer.[1] After early compositions as a student, she only returned to composing at the end of her life. Aged 80 when her music was first performed at the Proms in 1989, she experienced her return to composition as a new life:

I felt I was coming to the end of my life, but now I feel as if I'm just beginning. I feel as if I'm living my life in reverse.[2]

Life

[edit]

Mina Nerenstein was born in the East End of London, the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants from Belarus who ran a Hebrew bookselling business in Petticoat Lane. Her father died in 1926. In 1928, she entered the Royal Academy of Music, studying composition with William Alwyn. Student compositions included chamber works performed at the Academy, Whitechapel Gallery and Alexandra Palace.[2]

According to her obituary, she had a promising start to a musical career. Her surviving student works include a Fantasie in C minor for violin and piano, a Ballade in F minor for viola and piano (first performed in 1929 by Philip Burton of the Griller Quartet) and Three Summer Sketches for piano. These early compositions are particularly passionate and full of rich harmonies and vibrant melodies.[1]

In 1929, aged 20, she was forced to give up her musical study[1] to help her mother in the family business. She married Barnett Samuel, a solicitor, had a son, Raphael (later a well-known Marxist historian), and gave up composing. During the 1930s she was active in left-wing politics, joining the British Communist Party in 1939. When the Anschluss occurred, she began working with local citizenry to help evacuate Jewish children who were being transported to Britain from Nazi occupied territories.[1] On the break-up of her first marriage during World War II Mina worked in an aircraft factory near Slough. There, she met Bill Keal, and they eventually married in 1959.[2]

In 1975,[3] the composer Justin Connolly, having stumbled across some of Keal's youthful music archived at the Royal Academy of Music, encouraged her to start composing again, and she took composition lessons with him. Her String Quartet, Op. 1, was completed in 1978 and first performed in 1989. The Wind Quintet, Op. 2, followed in 1980. After taking lessons with Oliver Knussen in 1982, she completed her four-movement Symphony, Op. 3, which was performed as a BBC broadcast in 1988 and at the BBC Proms in 1989.[4] Cantillation for violin and orchestra, Op. 4, was completed in 1988 and first performed in 1991.[2] Between 1988 and 1994 she worked on the Cello Concerto, Op. 5, which was subsequently recorded by Alexander Baillie and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins for the NMC label. On the same record is her Ballade (1929) for cello and piano, in which Alexander Baillie is accompanied by pianist Martina Baillie.

In 1999, "the Royal Academy of Music honoured its former pupil with a 90th birthday concert packed with friends and colleagues celebrating the composer who proved that you're never too old to make an impact."[1] She died on 14 November later that year.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Bullamore, Tim (16 November 1999). "Obituary: Minna Keal". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Sophie Fuller (1994). The Pandora Guide to Women Composers: Britain and the United States 1629–present. Pandora. pp. 163–5. ISBN 978-0-04-440897-0. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  3. ^ Interview with Michael Hall, BBC Radio 3, 4 September 1989
  4. ^ Alison Light. (24 November 1999). "Minna Keal [obituary]". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
[edit]
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