Marlowe, Sylvia

American harpsichordist Sylvia Marlowe, was born Sapira Marlowe, on September 26, 1908, in New York. She later died in New York on December 10, 1981. After learning the piano and organ at school and university, Marlowe continued her musical education at the Ecole Normale in Paris, studying the piano and organ, and composition with Nadia Boulanger. It was there that she first heard Landowska, whose harpsichord playing impressed her deeply, although she did not study with her until years later. On returning to the USA, Marlowe received a national music award to perform Bach's Das wohltemperirte Clavier on the piano in a series of radio broadcasts. Gradually she gave up the piano in favour of the harpsichord. For some years she specialized in radio broadcasting, presenting Renaissance and Baroque solo and chamber works as well as a wide range of contemporary music, including jazz. Although she never lost her interest in popular American music, and even performed in nightclubs, she became increasingly concerned with concert recitals, performances with orchestra, and recordings. She made concert tours in North and South America, Europe and East Asia. In 1948 Marlowe was appointed to the faculty of the Mannes College of Music in New York and in 1957 she organized the Harpsichord Music Society, which aimed at fostering the creation of a contemporary repertory of solos and chamber works. She commissioned works by Carter, Haieff, Hovhaness, Reiti, Rorem and Sauguet. Her repertory was extensive and her sensitive playing was distinguished by a highly developed sense of style. She made many recordings and edited harpsichord works of Couperin.

Harpsichordist.