Madeline Dring (1923-1977) was an English composer born into a musical family, like so many women who would find any success in what was an otherwise unfriendly environment for female musicians.  Her talent was recognized early and nurtured—she began music lessons at the Royal College of Music at the age of ten.  She was a talented vocalist, violinist, artist, and actor, and her studies included composition lessons with Ralph Vaughn Williams and Gordon Jacob.

She married Roger Lord, an oboist, and composed many pieces for him.  Dring’s compositions were typically smaller works—songs for herself, or chamber pieces—though she did compose two ballets and one opera, as well as incidental music for television.  Her compositional style is described as light, and her use of “jazzy” harmonizations often draws a comparison to George Gershwin.

Here is her trio for Flute, Oboe, and Piano: