CAULFEILD, Elizabeth Jane

Elizabeth Jane Caulfeild, Countess of Charlemont, was an Irish composer and musician. Born Elizabeth Jane Somerville on 21 June 1834, she married James Molyneux Caulfeild, later 3rd Earl of Charlemont, in 1856. Contemporary accounts describe her as an accomplished linguist, musician and reciter. She converted to Judaism and attended synagogues in Belfast and London. She died at Roxborough Castle, County Tyrone, on 31 May 1882. Jewish Encyclopedia
Her documented compositions are Victorian songs for solo voice and piano, generally published under the name or title “Countess of Charlemont.” The surviving scores demonstrate a particular interest in contemporary poetry, including texts by Christina Rossetti and George MacDonald.