Among Musgrave's earlier orchestral works, the Concerto for Orchestra of 1967 and the Concerto for Horn of 1971 display the composer's ongoing fascination with 'dramatic-abstract' musical ideas.[6] More recent works continue the idea though sometimes in a more programmatic way: such as the oboe concerto Helios of 1994, in which the soloist represents the Sun God. Another frequent source of inspiration is the visual arts – The Seasons took its initial inspiration from a visit to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, while Turbulent Landscapes (commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and premiered by them in 2003) depicts a series of paintings by J. M. W. Turner.[7]
She has written more than a dozen operas and other music theatre works, many taking a historical figure as their central character, among them Mary, Queen of Scots (1977), Harriet Tubman (Harriet, the Woman called Moses, 1984), Simón Bolívar (1993; premiere 1995 at the Virginia Opera) and Pontalba (2003). In 2008, her 80th birthday was marked by premieres of Points of View, Green, Cantilena, Taking Turns and other performances.[8]
In response to a question presented by Tom Service for the BBC about Musgrave's view of being a 'woman composer' she replied, "Yes I am a woman, and I am a composer. But rarely at the same time".[9] She admits that pursuing music can be a difficult career. When asked by the BBC to offer advice to young composers, she replied, "Don't do it, unless you have to. And if you do, enjoy every minute of it."[10]
^LePage, Jane Weiner (1980). Women Composers, Conductors, and Musicians of the Twentieth Century: Selected Bibliographies. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. p. 147. ISBN 0-8108-1298-3.
^Hixon, Donald L. (1984). Thea Musgrave: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 6. ISBN 0-313-23708-5.
^Service, Tom (14 February 2014). "Thea Musgrave's turbulent landscapes". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
^"The composer's quest. Thea Musgrave profile". The Herald. Glasgow. 23 May 1998. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
^"The BIG Question...with Thea Musgrave". British Association of Songwriters, Composers & Authors. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
^Clark, Andrew (24 January 2014). "Interview: Thea Musgrave". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
^"Biography". Thea Musgrave. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
^"Thea Musgrave, Music Matters". BBC Radio 3. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
^ ab"Proms 2018: 'Don't do it unless you have to!' — the advice of composer Thea Musgrave for anyone seeking a career in music". BBC Scotland. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
^"Complete List of Koussevitzky Commissions". Koussevitzky Music Foundation. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
^"Thea Musgrave". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved 29 March 2018.