Mary Lucas

Mary Lucas née Juler (24 May 1882–14 January 1952) sometimes referred to as Mary Anderson-Lucas, was an English composer and pianist. She studied at the Dresden Conservatory with Carlo Albanesi and at the Royal College of Music with Herbert Howells, R.O. Morris and Maurice Jacobson. She married entrepreneur and inventor Ralph Lucas in 1903, and their son Colin became a noted architect. She gave up composition for a few years after she married, but returned to produce a number of successful compositions, including six string quartets. In 1934 and 1935 the Stratton String Quartet championed her music, performing her string quartets at the London Music Club's First Performance Society on 29 November 1934 at 22 Holland Park, and in January 1935 at the Blackheath Concert Halls. Lucas had a special affinity with the clarinet: her Clarinet Sonata was written for Pauline Juler in 1938 and a recording of her Lament for clarinet played by Rudolph Dunbar, with the composer probably playing the piano, was issued by Octacros Records in the mid-1930s. The Circus Suite was performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall on 4 July 1942. Lucas' papers are partially housed at the British Library, while some manuscripts and other papers are held at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.