Professor Deborah Mawer

Emeritus Professor of Music

Email:: deborah.mawer@bcu.ac.uk

Deborah Mawer is听Emeritus Professor of Music at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and Editor of the听. She听was formerly Research Professor of Music and Director of听Research.听Across听2016-2019 she led a large AHRC-funded project, entitled Accenting the Classics: Durand鈥檚脡dition classique (c. 1915 - 1925) as a French Prism on the Musical Past鈥�. She joined the Conservatoire in 2013, having previously held chairs at Lancaster University and the University of Huddersfield and been postgraduate external examiner at the University of Oxford (2009 - 2012).

Founding Director of the French Music Research Hub, Mawer is an international research specialist in twentieth-century French music, especially Ravel, Les Six and Jolivet, as well as in music-dance and classical-jazz interactions. She studied at King's College London (PhD 1991) and on the Advanced Course at the Royal Academy of Music. As a modern and baroque viola player, she has freelanced with City of London Sinfonia, Vivaldi Concertante and the Avison Ensemble.

Her seven books comprise four monographs and three sole-edited books: , co-authored with Kelly, Moore and Sadler (Boydell, 2023); (Routledge, 2018); (CUP, 2014); Ravel Studies (CUP, 2010); The Ballets of Maurice Ravel: Creation and Interpretation (Ashgate, 2006); The Cambridge Companion to Ravel (CUP, 2000); and Darius Milhaud: Modality and Structure in Music of the 1920s (Ashgate, 1997). She has written widely in scholarly journals and other book collections, presented at many international conferences, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Research has been funded by the AHRC (Research Grant, Research Leave), several British Academy Small Grants, Music & Letters Trust, Music Analysis Development Fund, L鈥橭bservatoire interdisciplinaire de cr茅ation et de recherche en musique (Canada), and the Royal Musical Association.

An Editorial Board member of The British Journal of Music Education (2007 - ) and Senior Academic Adviser for PALATINE (2006-2008), with a background in instrumental teaching and further education, she has longstanding interests in education and pedagogy, and in 2008 was awarded an individual National Teaching Fellowship.

Mawer acts as a reader and journal manuscript submissions reviewer for a wide range of leading international and UK journals and publishers, and has been an appointed referee for the European Research Council, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4 (with Robert Winston), is in demand for pre-performance talks, including at Glyndebourne, and has produced CD essays for Pentatone, Deutsche Grammophon and Hyperion.

Current Activity

鈥�Accenting the Classics鈥� Project

Under the umbrella of the French Music Research Hub, this AHRC-funded project (拢461,583 full value) was founded on the historical interplay initiative. It embraces a spectrum of times and places; a mix of historical, cultural, analytical and editorial skills; and a mixed university-conservatoire base, with a performance practice angle. The substantial, but under-researched, 脡dition classique A. Durand et Fils acts as a 鈥榩rism鈥� for exploring relations and dimensions: early 20C French composers鈥� and musicologists鈥� engagement with their pasts 鈥� French and more broadly European (some figures have been largely written out of music history); relations between composers鈥� editorial and compositional practices; issues of wartime publishing; role of the enterprise within pedagogy at the Paris Conservatoire (some volumes advertise the fact that many listed editors were also Conservatoire professors); implications for keyboard-based performance practice, then and now.

This exciting, multifaceted project (2016-19) has involved the complementary skills of Profs. Deborah Mawer (PI), Graham Sadler (CI), Dr Rachel Moore (RF) and Prof. Barbara Kelly (CI, RNCM, Manchester), and the practice-based, pedagogical skills of pianists at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. A co-authored book, Accenting the Classics: Europe's Music Through Durand's Edition classique, is under preparation and will be published by Boydell & Brewer.

French Historical Interplay Project

This project was catalysed in summer 2014 by the first international symposium of the French Music Research Hub based at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, directed by Mawer and Dingle. It has culminated in an edited book: 2018: Mawer (ed.), Historical Interplay in French Music and Culture, 1860-1960. London and New York: Routledge. This essay volume, which has been further developed and expanded, offers a history of French music in the 鈥榣ong鈥� modernist era with a dynamic difference: one that engages with a complex interplay of times present and past; matters of musical memory; music鈥檚 connections with literature, visual art, philosophy and politics; questions of French cultural heritage in relation to European (especially Germanic) identity; as well as issues of reinterpretation and meaning. Contributors comprise Conservatoire researchers on French music and other international scholars.

Classical鈥揓azz Transcultural Perspectives

This follow-on transcultural project developed out of the monograph: French Music and Jazz in Conversation (Cambridge University Press, 2014). Outputs include:

2019: 鈥楶erforming Improvisation: Bill Evans and Jean-Yves Thibaudet鈥� (jazz conference paper; book chapter). How can one (re)perform an improvisation; how much spontaneity remains and where does composition enter into the equation? A transcultural prism is adopted via the recordings of the French concert pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Chosen loci include 鈥� Waltz for Debby鈥� (1956), 鈥� Song for Helen鈥� (1978) and 鈥� Your Story鈥� (1980). While improvisatory-compositional boundaries become more blurred, substantive differences are revealed between Evans and Thibaudet, even when handling the same material.

2020: 鈥楧arius Milhaud, critique de jazz: r么le et caract茅ristiques, Les Actes du colloque: La Critique de jazz (Rennes: Presses universitaires de Rennes). Proceedings of international colloquium, Universit茅 Paris Diderot (6鈥�7 February 2014). Funded Universit茅 Paris Diderot.

Andr茅 Jolivet: Theory and Practice

Among the members of La Jeune France, Andr茅 Jolivet (1905鈥�74) has typically been overshadowed by his close contemporary Olivier Messiaen. This revisionist project aims to investigate Jolivet鈥� s distinctive contribution and establish his rightful position within a French modernist canon. It represents part of an increasing interest in Jolivet鈥� s music more widely in the UK, France and internationally.

Outputs include:

2019: 鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Early Music Theory and its Practice in Cinq danses rituelles (1939)鈥�, in Caroline Rae (ed.), Andr茅 Jolivet: Music, Art and Literature. London and New York: Routledge.
2018: 鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Rameau: Theory, Practice and Temporal Interplay鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Historical Interplay in French Music and Culture, 1860-1960 London and New York: Routledge.

Areas of Expertise

Qualifications

Memberships

Teaching

Research

Postgraduate Supervision

Publications

Books

2023: Mawer et al.,听 Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 364pp. ISBN 9781837650323.
2018: Mawer (ed.), , 1860-1960. London and New York: Routledge. 270pp. ISBN 9781472474759; 9781315586847 (ebk).
2014: , Music since 1900. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 319pp. ISBN 9781107037533. (Nominated by CUP for Otto Kinkeldey Award, AMS. Publ. paperback, 2016.)
2010: Mawer (ed.), . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2006: . Aldershot & Burlington, VT: Ashgate/Routledge. 332pp. ISBN 0754630293.
2000: Mawer (ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1997: . Aldershot: Scolar Press. 408pp. ISBN 1859282490; 9781859282496.

Book chapters

2019: 'Performing Improvisation: Bill Evans and Jean-Yves Thibaudet', in Nicholas Gebhardt, Nichole Rustin-Paschal and Tony Whyton (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Jazz Studies. New York: Routledge, pp. 281-91.
2019: 鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Early Music Theory and its Practice in Cinq danses rituelles (1939)鈥�, in Caroline Rae (ed.), Andr茅 Jolivet: Music, Art and Literature. London New and York: Routledge, pp. 68-84.
2018: 鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Rameau: Theory, Practice and Temporal Interplay鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Historical Interplay in French Music and Culture, 1860-1960. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 176-97.
2018: 鈥業ntroduction: Revisiting French Musical History鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Historical Interplay in French Music and Culture, 1860-1960. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 1-11.
2014: 鈥楻etour au point de d茅part? Les derni猫res oeuvres de musique de chambre de Darius Milhaud et la notion de 鈥渢ardivit茅鈥浓赌�, in Marie-No毛lle Lavoie and Jacinthe Harbec (eds.), Darius Milhaud: Compositeur et exp茅rimentateur, Musicologies. Paris: Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin, pp. 65-88.
2012: 鈥楲e jazz gallicis茅 et ravelis茅: th茅orie et pratique du 鈥渂lues鈥濃€� [revised, refereed paper given at Universit茅 Catholique de l鈥橭uest, Angers, 2008], in Pascal Terrien (ed.), Musique fran莽aise: Esth茅tique et identit茅 en mutation 1892-1992.Sampzon: Les Editions Delatour France, pp. 215-25.
2011: 鈥樷€�, in Janne M盲kel盲 and Jouni Eerola (eds.), Jazz Chameleon: 9th Nordic Jazz Conference Proceedings. Helsinki: The Finnish Jazz and Pop Archive, pp. 77-89.听 (2013: Portuguese translation: 鈥楢 m煤sica francesca reconfigurado no jazz modal de Bill Evan蝉鈥�, trans. Fausto Bor茅m, Per Musi, 28, pp. 7-14.)
2011: 鈥楳aurice Ravel鈥�, in Bruce Gustafson (ed.), . New York: Oxford University Press [10,000-word annotated bibliography, 130 citations.]
2010: Crossing Borders II: Ravel鈥檚 Theory and Practice of Jazz鈥�, 鈥樷€�, and 鈥楢ppendix: Itinerary for Ravel鈥檚 Tour鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Ravel Studies.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-8, 110-13, 114-37.
2010: David Epstein, completed by Mawer, 鈥楨ncountering La Valse: Perspectives and Pitfall蝉鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Ravel Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 138-64.
2008: 鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Search for a New French Voice: Spiritual 鈥淥therness鈥� in Mana (1935)鈥�, in Barbara L. Kelly (ed.), French Music, Culture and National Identity, 1870-1939.Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, pp. 172-93.
2007: 鈥楻icard Vi帽es i Maurice Ravel: una amistat inspiradora鈥�, in M脿rius Bernad贸 (ed.), Ricard Vi帽es: el pianista de les avantguardes. Barcelona: Fundaci贸 Caixa Catalunya/Lleida: Museu d鈥橝rt Jaume Morera, pp. 132-37; trans. as 鈥楻icardo Vi帽es y Maurice Ravel: una amistad inspiradora鈥�, pp. 318-21; trans. as 鈥楻icardo Vi帽es et Maurice Ravel: une amit茅 inspiratrice鈥�, pp. 427-30.
2006: 鈥樷€淒ancing on the Edge of the Volcano鈥�: French Music in the 1930蝉鈥�, in Richard Langham Smith & Caroline Potter (eds.), French Music since Berlioz. Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 249-80.
2000: 鈥楳usical Objects and Machine蝉鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Ravel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 47-67, 270-71.
2000: 鈥楤allet and the Apotheosis of the Dance鈥�, 鈥業ntroduction: The Many Masks of Ravel鈥�, 鈥楥hronology鈥�, and (with Roger Nichols), 鈥楢ppendix: early reception of Ravel鈥檚 music (1899鈥�1939)鈥�, in Mawer (ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 140-61, 275-76; pp. 1-4, 266; pp. xi-xiv, 251-66, 276.
1997: 鈥楤eyond Le Boeuf: Analysing Milhaud鈥檚 Fifth Chamber Symphony (1922)鈥� [invited paper for LancMAC,1994), incorporated in book on Darius Milhaud].
1996: Mawer (author), with Michael Pengelly (software developer), 鈥楧arius Milhaud: La Cr茅ation du monde鈥�, Analytical Listening Guide (Lancaster: Teaching Learning Technology Programme, Lancaster University), 170 screens, with manual. Distribution: BIDS, Computing Service, University of Bath. Re-issued 2000, CALMA (University of Huddersfield).
1994: 鈥楽tructural Analysis in String Teaching and Performance: 鈥淰oice-leading for Strings鈥濃€� [Invited paper, Biennial World Conference: International Society for Music Education, University of Florida, Tampa, USA], in Towards a Change of Attitude regarding the Purpose, Goals and Values in the Education of the Professional Musician, Florida: ISME, pp. 57-71.

Journal articles

2013: 鈥楢 m煤sica francesca reconfigurado no jazz modal de Bill Evan蝉鈥�, trans. Fausto Bor茅m, Per Musi, 28, pp. 7-14.
2012: 鈥�, 13/1-2, pp. 77-85
2009: 鈥�, Twentieth-Century Music, 6/2, pp. 155-82.
2008: , Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 133/2, pp. 270-317.
(2013: French trans. Universit茅 de Paris-Sorbonne: 鈥樷€淧arisomanie鈥�? La French Connection de Jack Hylton鈥� in Vincent Cotro, Laurent Cugny and Philippe Gumplowicz (eds.), La Catastrophe apprivois茅e: Regards sur le jazz en France (Paris: Outre Mesure), pp. 67-99.)
2008: 鈥楶ositioning Milhaud鈥檚 Late Chamber Music: Compositional 鈥淔ull Circle鈥�?鈥�, Musical Times, 149/4, pp. 45-60.
2007: 鈥�, Music Theory Online, 13/4:
2006: 蝉鈥�, Opera Quarterly, 22/1, pp. 90-116. [revised, refereed paper for 鈥楽ound Move蝉鈥�, Princeton University/Roehampton University, 2005]
2003: 鈥樷€�, British Journal of Music Education, 20/3, pp. 257-76.
1999: 鈥樷€�, British Journal of Music Education, 16/2, pp. 179-95.
1997: 鈥楨mbedding CD-tours in HE Courses: Experience with the Analytical Listening Guide to 鈥淒arius Milhaud: La Cr茅ation du monde鈥浓赌�, Musicus: Computer Applications in Music Education, 5, pp. 19-29.

Commercial research

2024: 鈥�鈥� [5,600-word essay], pp. 20-33; trans. French, pp. 34-49.听Ravel, The Complete Works with Piano. Fran莽ois-Xavier Poizat (Paris: Apart茅, AP321 [6 CDs]). (Invited contribution.)
2017: 鈥�鈥� [1,500-word essay], 3-9. Ravel, Daphnis et Chlo茅 [complete ballet], Une barque sur l鈥檕c茅an, Pavane pour une infante d茅funte; Gimeno/Orchestre philharmonique du Luxembourg, WDR Rundfunkchor K枚ln ([Germany]: Pentatone, PTC 5186 652, August 2017). (Invited contribution.)
2006: 鈥�鈥�, pp. 2-5; trans. German, pp. 11-15; trans. French, pp. 22-26; Ravel, Daphnis et Chlo茅, Chung/Orchestre et Choeur de Radio France (Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon, DG 477 5706). (Invited contribution.)
2001: 鈥�鈥�, pp. 2-7; trans. French, pp. 10-15; trans. German, pp. 16-21; L鈥橝lbum des Six, Complete Works of 鈥楲es Six鈥� for Flute and Piano, Emily Benyon/Andrew West (London: Hyperion, CDA67204). (Invited contribution.)

Reviews (selected)

2023: Review of Louis K. Epstein,听, 23/179.
2019:听Review of Fran莽ois de M茅dicis and Steven Huebner (eds.),听, 100/4, pp. 738-40.
2012: Review of Philippe Cath茅, Sylvie Douche et Michel Duchesneau (eds.), , 93/4, pp. 615-17.
2011: Review of Barbara Lebrun, , 25/1, pp. 130-32.
2011: Review of Sylvia Kahan, , 55/1, pp. 147-53.
2010: Review of Millicent Hodson, , 91/1, pp. 123-6.
2007: Review of Jane F. Fulcher, , 88/2, pp. 367-70.
2004: Review of Barbara L. Kelly, , 85/4, pp. 660-62.
2004: Review of Roger Nichols, , 85/1, pp. 120-23.
2004: Review of Keith Waters, , 85/1, pp. 123鈥�6.
1997: Review of Howard Boatwright, , 16/1, pp. 137鈥�44.

Conference papers (since 2014)

Paper (11 September 2024): 鈥楳usic History 鈥淪ince Debussy鈥�? Hodeir and Barraqu茅 in Light of New Source蝉鈥�, RMA 150 Conference, University of London and British Library, London.
Paper (30 June 2023): 鈥楤eside the Seaside: Premiering Elgar at the 鈥淎lbert Hall of the North鈥濃€�. 13^th听Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain Conference, Open University, Milton Keynes.
Invited panellist/presenter (27 January 2023): 鈥�Accenting the Classics: il s鈥檃git des interaction蝉鈥�, Colloquium, Universit茅 de Montr茅al.
Invited panellist/presenter: 鈥�鈥� (September 2020). 56th RMA Annual Conference, Goldsmiths, University of London.
Invited Keynote lecture, Princeton University (16鈥�18 January 2020): International Conference: Les Six at 100, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Keynote paper: 鈥楴eoclassicism, Lateness and Legacy: Le cas Milhaud鈥�. Also given as RNCM Research Forum presentation, Manchester (11 December 2019).
Invited panellist-presenter for national Public Debate: '' (15 November 2019, City, University of London).
Invited guest lecture: 鈥楨xploring the Exotic: Ravel鈥檚听鈥�Chansons mad茅casses', Wigmore Study Group Summer 2019: Ravel, Wigmore Hall, London (2 May 2019 [Arts Council England]).
Panel session (AHRC-funded project; 18鈥�20 October 2018): Publication, edition et performance/Music Publication, Editing and Performance at International ConferenceColloque: Musique et sorties de guerres, Universit茅 de Montr茅al. Paper: 鈥楧urand鈥檚 L鈥櫭塩ole moderne and Post-World War I Reconstruction鈥�.
Panel Session (AHRC-funded project; 5鈥�7 September 2018). Paper: 鈥楧urand鈥檚 L鈥櫭塩ole moderne听as an Exemplar of French Neoclassicism (1870-1925)鈥�, at hosted international conference: Editing, Performing and Re-Composing the Musical Past: French Neoclassicism (1870鈥�) (脡diter, interpr茅ter et re-composer le pass茅 musical: Le n茅oclassicisme fran莽ais, 1870鈥�), Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 91猎奇.
Panel Session (AHRC-funded project; 26-29 September 2017): 鈥楩rench Music Publishing and (Trans)Nationalism鈥�, at Rethinking the Dynamics of Music and Nationalism, University of Amsterdam. Paper: 鈥楥harting the 脡dition classique Durand (c. 1915鈥�25): Musical Nationalism鈥揟ransnationalism鈥�.
Paper (23-24 November 2016): 鈥楢ccenting Bach: Emmanuel, Garban, Roger-Ducasse and the 脡dition classique Durand (1916-24)鈥�, Music and Nation, 1918-1945: Europe 鈥� The Americas (Musique et nation dans l鈥檈ntre-deux-guerres), Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.
Public lecture (鈥楶op-up Prof.鈥�) (20 April 2016): 鈥楳usic and Meaning(s): Chopin鈥檚 Etude Op. 10/3, Remade for Jack Hylton鈥檚 Danceband鈥�, Parkside Lecture Theatre, 91猎奇.
Paper (14鈥�17 April 2016):听鈥楶erforming Improvisation: Bill Evans and Jean-Yves Thibaudet鈥�, Jazz Utopia, fourth听Rhythm Changes听Conference, School of听Media, 91猎奇.
International Guest Lecture (13鈥�15 October 2015):听鈥楩rom听Valses nobles听to听La听Valse鈥�, FHNW Musik-Akademie Basel, Hochschule f眉r Musik, Basel,听Switzerland.
Keynote Speaker (18 September 2015):听鈥楥hanging Fortunes: Jazz-Dance听Bandleader Jack Hylton and the French Press (1928鈥�40)鈥�, Department of听History, University of Warwick.
Paper (9鈥�11 Sept 2015):听鈥楯olivet鈥檚 Rameau: Theory, Practice and Temporal听Interplay鈥�, Royal Musical Association Annual International Conference (RMA),听University of Birmingham.
Paper (3鈥�5 July 2015):听鈥楳aking Mendelssohn French: Ravel鈥檚 Complete听Edition of the Piano Works, 1915鈥�18鈥�,听Music,听Intertextuality, & Inter-Art Forms听in Third Republic France: Remembering Paul Dukas at 150, Society for听Musicology in Ireland, Maynooth University.
Paper (27鈥�29 May 2015):听鈥楳aking Mendelssohn French鈥�,City of Light: Paris听1900鈥�1950 International Conference, Institut fran莽ais, London. Session chair:听Darius Milhaud.
Programme Chair/Convenor (4 July 2014): International symposium,听Historical听Interplay in French Music, French Music Research Hub, Birmingham听Conservatoire.
Public Research Seminar (11 March 2014):听鈥榃hen French Music Meets Jazz:听Intertextuality and Borrowing in Music by Ravel and Bill Evan蝉鈥�, Birmingham听Conservatoire.
Professorial Lecture (3 April 2014): 鈥榃hen French Music Meets Jazz鈥�, University of Huddersfield.
Paper (6鈥�7 February 2014): 鈥楧arius Milhaud, critique de jazz: le caract猫re de听ses 茅crits et son r么le鈥�. International Colloquium, La Critique de jazz, Universit茅听Paris Diderot.
Invited Speaker & Programme Committee (21鈥�23 June 2013):Paper:听鈥楶oulenc鈥檚 Early鈥揕ate Association with听鈥淛azz鈥濃€�. Rethinking Poulenc: 50 Years听On, Keele University. Led Analysis Workshop for doctoral students, with听Philippe Cath茅 (Sorbonne).

91猎奇