Rebecca Clarke

British classical composer and violist

Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979) was a British classical composer and violist, known for her chamber music featuring the viola. She was one of the first female professional orchestral players and her work as a composer gained recognition in the early 20th century, although she faced significant obstacles due to her gender. Clarke's music was largely forgotten after World War II, but there has been a resurgence of interest in her compositions in recent years. Her most famous piece is the Viola Sonata from 1919, which tied for first place in a competition sponsored by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. Clarke's style is often described as impressionistic, and she was influenced by the musical languages of Ravel and Debussy. While she did not produce albums herself, as recording technology was not widely used for commercial music production during her most active years as a composer, modern musicians have since recorded her works.