From: "A Numerous and Fashionable Audience: The Story of Elsie Swinton,"  

by David Greer 

Posted: Wed, 30 Oct 2002

Elizabeth "'Elsie" Swinton (1874-1966), nee Ebsworth, was a prominent society lady in Edwardian England, who in 1906 took the unusual step (for a person of her social rank in those days) of becoming a professional singer, and in the years up to the First World War she had a successful career despite family opposition. She was also of striking appearance, and there are portraits of her by Sargent, Sickert and others. In her singing career she worked with well-known musicians such as Hamilton Harty, Percy Grainger and Gabriel Faure (who was one of her many admirers). She also kept open house to many, including Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Szymanowski and Arthur Rubinstein. After the war, opposition from the family and other factors led her to abandon her career and she turned to good works and exploration of arcane philosophies. 

Although British, she actually grew up in St Petersburg, and left vivid accounts of life in pre-Revolution Russia. 

This book is based on unpublished memoirs by Elsie and other members of the family. It includes an appendix of hitherto unknown lettersto her from Faure. 

--author

The books author:- DAVID GREER  

Department of Music  

University of Durham  

Palace Green  

Durham DH1 3RL  

GB-England

Notes 

Thanks to Fred de Bradeny, of England, a decendent of Mrs. George Swinton and friend of the JSS Gallery, for sending me the the excerp from "A Numerous and Fashionable Audience: The Story of Elsie Swinton" 

Exhibitions

John Singer Sargent, An Exhibition -- Whitney Museum, NY & The Art Institute of Chicago 1986-1987