Music, art and conversation
celebrating the centenary of
Rosalind Franklin born 25th July 1920
the pioneering British crystallographer
whose photo 51 revealed the double helix structure of DNA.
Extraordinarily talented, she died tragically young, but had already carried out ground-breaking research that tackled our greatest modern challenge – viruses.
VIDEO OF THE EVENT & COMMISSIONED MUSIC/ART below
(press the arrow above to watch!)
“The Franklin Effect” CD
Sample video by First Hand Records
Recorded in 2016 by
electric voice theatre
Franklin Effect Vocal Quartet
(press the arrow above to watch!)
“Happy Birthday Rosalind Franklin”
Video of live Zoom Event on July 25th 2020
Music, Talks & Discussion of Franklin’s legacy in the light of the current viral situation
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“VIRUS – in molecular mode”
Music & Words by Frances M Lynch
Film by Shelley James
In collaboration with Brian Sutton
Professor of Molecular Biophysics
King’s College London
Music by
Cheryl Frances-Hoad
Frances M Lynch
Lynne Plowman
Shirley J. Thompson
Kate Whitley
Performed by
Penny Osmond – Soprano
Frances M Lynch – Soprano
David Sheppard – Countertenor
Julian Stocker – Tenor
Speakers
Dr Patricia Fara
Emeritus Fellow of Clare College
Cambridge
Brian Sutton
Professor of Molecular Biophysics
King’s College London
Dr Bergit Arends
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Bristol
Professor Shirley J. Thompson OBE
Composer
Jonathan Mayer – First Hand Records
Images from Reciprocal Space Collection
created by Shelley James
Inspired by the work of
Dr Rosalind Franklin
on Virus Structure
Commissioned by
electric voice theatre July 2020
Constructed from Vocal Samples
performed by
Frances M Lynch – Soprano
Jenny Miller – Soprano
Simone Ibbett-Brown – Mezzo
Margaret Cameron – Mezzo
Julian Stocker – Tenor
Gwion Thomas – Baritone
Herbie Clarke – Bass
Rosalind Franklin (1920-58) remains a controversial figure. Since her early death, Franklin has become mythologised as the female victim of male prejudice. According to those versions of the past, James Watson and Francis Crick marginalised Franklin’s original research by taking advantage of her crucial X-ray photograph 51 to build the double helix model of DNA and claim for themselves the Nobel Prize that she should have shared.
Franklin would not have endorsed such exaggerated claims. She regarded herself first and foremost not as a woman, but as a scientist to be judged by her achievements. This particular project occupied a relatively brief period in her successful career: as well as her famous investigations into DNA, she made foundational contributions to modern understandings of coal, graphite and the first ever three-dimensional structures of viruses, publishing nearly forty original articles.
Had she lived longer, Franklin would undoubtedly have maintained and augmented her reputation as a meticulous, innovative scientist.