The Women of Classical Music
To mark International Women’s Day, the women of IDAGIO look at some of history’s most influential female composers and musicians.
If I asked you to name five composers off the top of your head who would they be? Bach? Mozart? Beethoven? Schubert? Tchaikovsky? Are you noticing a theme here?
For centuries, the classical music world has been dominated by men, with their equally talented female counterparts falling into the shadows.
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the progress made in gender equality and to call for change on both a local and global level. It’s a day to celebrate women that have made extraordinary contributions to their fields, including the plethora of female composers, conductors and musicians.
The UN theme for 2016 reflects this issue: “Planet 50–50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”. Yes, we have come a long way, but let’s not forget that we still have a long way to go to achieve this goal globally. (If you would like to learn more, have a look at this interactive infographic by Berlin-based designer Lauren Kelly).
“Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future.” — UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
So, join the women of IDAGIO, to take a moment to show your respect, appreciation, and love towards the women in your life and look at some exceptional females who overcame overwhelming prejudice to follow their love of music. Some are well known, some less so, but all have helped pave the way for future generations.
Stephanie Tassone is our communications manager and the editor of Discover Classical Music.
LILI BOULANGER: Nocturne for Violoncello and Piano (Pierre Fournier and Ernest Lush, 1951)
Lili Boulanger is a remarkable figure in classical music. A child prodigy, Boulanger’s talent was apparent at the age of two, when Gabriel Fauré, a friend of the family and later one of Boulanger’s teachers, discovered she had perfect pitch. She was also the first woman to ever win the prestigious Prix de Rome. What’s more remarkable was that the French composer was only 24 when she passed away from Crohn’s disease and you can only speculate as to her potential impact on music history had her life not been cut short. After her death, Lili’s older sister, composer, conductor and teacher Nadia Boulanger worked tirelessly to ensure that Lili’s work was not forgotten.
My choice Nocturne for Violoncello and Piano really exemplifies Lili’s musical genius, because on the original manuscript she had written “Composed September 24th and 25th, 1911” — this makes her only 18 when she composed this wonderful piece, which was even before she began her formal studies in composition! So, a new composer, who happened to be a very young woman in the early 1900’s, completed the work in two days. This fact in itself is amazing, but to listen to the piece and hear how beautiful it is even more extraordinary.
Lili may not have lived long enough to properly fulfil her destiny, but she left behind a whole repertoire of beautiful music, inspiring a whole new generation of female musicians.
Carole Lavillonnière is our senior iOS developer, like these musicians, she is also representing women in a male-dominated industry.
ROBERT SCHUMANN: Impromptus on a Theme of Clara Wieck op. 5 (Eduard Erdmann, 1952)
The collection of short movements from Schumann was, as its title suggests, greatly inspired by the composer Clara Schumann, née Clara Wieck, wife of the composer. Wieck was very influential and successful in a world dominated by men. Her husband and herself were mentors for Johannes Brahms and contributed to his success. Her life was quite extravagant and tragic and would deserve a biopic!
My personal favourite in these series of impromptus is the No. 6, Schnell, it makes me want to dance!
Em Smith is one of our senior developers and also the editor of the publication Making IDAGIO.
When the women of IDAGIO first started talking about doing a recommendation list for International Women’s Day, I realised I didn’t actually know any female composers by name. As one of the software engineers at IDAGIO, I decided to find out, so I wrote some code to give me list of all the recordings we have that feature women as either Composer, Conductor or Performer (you can view the full list here).
Claude Arrieu was a prolific french composer, who was born in Paris on November 30th 1903. She was classically trained from an early age. Initially she was interested in the works of Bach and Mozart, but later took interest in the works of Stravinsky, Fauré, Debussy and Ravel. In 1924, she started studying with Marguerite Long. Her compositions over the years have varied in genres, ranging from concerti to chamber orchestral works; her works were not just for live performance, but also for theatre, film and radio. Having composed a wealth of scores in many genres, she died on March 7th, 1990.
I’m recommending the movement Allegro Vivace from Arrieu’s composition Wind Quintet in C Major. Normally I listen to more piano based works, but the wind instruments in this work, and in particular this movement, just sound so happy, optimistic and frivolous.
Barbara Gerster is a violinist and also one of our repertoire team. She ensures that you have new music to listen to every week.
When Steph told us her idea for a post on International Women’s Day, I set myself the goal to write about a piece composed by a female and performed by women. I quickly realised that this wouldn’t be easy. Even though I have been part of our content team for a while now and have a pretty good overview of IDAGIO’s repertoire, I had to browse our backoffice to find something that would satisfy my ambition.
I finally stumbled upon the name Choeurs Élisabeth Brasseur. It’s not unusual for choirs to bear the founder’s name but as few have been established by women, this one stands out — especially since she founded it in 1920! That year, at the age of 24, Marie Josèphe Jeanne Élisabeth Brasseur took up the position as organist in the church Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc in Versailles.
The ensemble, which was an all-female choir until 1932, is now known for its numerous collaborations with French composers such as Arthur Honegger and conductors like André Cluyten or Pierre Boulez. Of the recordings including the choir on IDAGIO, I particularly like the ones of Lili Boulanger’s psalms. Especially in Psalm 130 ‘Du fond de l’abîme’, you can discern the ensemble’s expressiveness in singing! Happy listening!
Dr Ekaterina Smyka is our Dresden-based musicologist specialising both in medieval music and in the music of 19th century Saxony. She prepares the classical recordings of the eminent artists of the 20th century for IDAGIO.
- MARIA THERESIA VON PARADIS: Sicilienne in E flat major (Enrico Mainardi, Michael Raucheisen, 1952)
- AUGUSTA HOLMÈS: Trois anges sont venus ce soir (Noël) (René Challan, Orchestre Colonne, Michel Dens, Henriette Puig-Roget, Lily Laskine, 1960)
- JOHANNES BRAHMS: Rhapsody for Alto, male Chorus and Orchestra op. 53 (Clemens Krauss, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Kathleen Ferrier, 1947)
I would like to recommend Maria Theresia von Paradis. She lived from 1759 till 1824 in Vienna and was a very gifted pianist, singer and a composer (she wrote operas and smaller vocal and instrumental pieces) and was practically blind from her childhood! Such a strong woman!
Antonio Salieri was a friend of her family, her music theory-teacher and he also dedicated his organ concerto to her. She was acquainted with Carl Philip Emanuael Bach, Joseph Haydn and most likely Mozart (who supposedly wrote his Piano Concerto in B major KV 456 for her). During her concert tour through Europe she played with great success in England and in France where she played with Marie Antoinette, who was a good pianist and composer herself, they even made made music together!
After she retired from her active concert life she composed further and was a successful salonnière. She was an important person in Viennese musical life, appreciated by other musicians. The Sicilienne we have is a very emotional, almost romantic piece, and the recording we have is excellent in my opinion. Unfortunately we are not completely certain it is written by her!
So my other idea would be Augusta Holmès (1847–1903), a French composer of Irish descent. Although a very talented pianist she was not allowed to study at the Paris Conservatoire; so she took private lessons. She showed her early compositions to Franz Liszt, then she became a pupil of César Franck. She composed operas, cantatas, orchestral works songs. I just like her music, very romantic! The piece we have ‘Trois anges sont venus ce soir’ with bells makes a romantic christmas recording — which actually suits to the weather right now — we have snow in Dresden although it is March!
Finally, I recommend Kathleen Ferrier (1912–1953) an outstanding British contralto singer. She was an amateur musician and worked as a telephonist with the General Post Office. Only in 1937 she started to sing “seriously”, after winning a prestigious singing competition at the Carlisle Festival she immediately received offers of professional engagement as a singer. She worked closely with John Barbirolli, Bruno Walter and Gerald Moore. In 1951 she was diagnosed with breast cancer; In the periods between hospitalisation and convalescence she continued to perform and record. Her incredible “heavenly” voice goes immediately to one’s heart. I can recommend all her recordings, in particular Brahms’s, Rhapsody for Alto, male Chorus and Orchestra op. 53.
Wiebke Göbler is our office manager and takes care of IDAGIO’s finances.
SUSAN H. DYER: Florida Night Song from ‘An Outlandish Suite’ (Jascha Heifetz, Emanuel Bay, 1945)
There is not much known about Susan Dyer, born on December 20, 1880 in Maryland. She studied violin and harmony, graduated 1904 and became a teacher of these subject. Dyer was a composer, writer of poetry, leader of the student orchestra at Rollins Collage Florida and was also the virtual founder of the Neighbourhood House Music School. Her life mission was to bring music to others and with great idealism she worked for that aim.
The composition Florida Night Song from ‘An Outlandish Suite’ for violin and piano (which was distinguished with the Steinert Prize) - transports you to a far-away jazz and piano bar in the south of America.
I think that Dyer is a worthy candidate to celebrate on Woman’s day because up to the end of her life she was deeply committed to supporting the Florida Federation Woman’s Club and fighting for humanity.
Maria Hentschel is part of our repertoire team. She is a dancer and musician.
She was the first French composer of an opera — but today hardly anyone knows more than her name: Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre.
Born in 1665, she was the daughter of a Parisian organist Claude Jacquet. She developed an interest in music during her childhood, showing an exceptional talent for the harpsichord which was taught to her by her father.
At the age of five she played before King Louis XIV. His mistress Madame de Montespan was so taken by her that she took the girl in her care to the court. Soon her musical talent became famous, the Mercure galant designated la petite Mademoiselle Jaquier (the little Mademoiselle Jaquier/Jacquet) as merveille de nostre Siecle (our century’s miracle). 1684 she married the organist Marin de la Guerre and established herself as a recognised musician and composer, especially for works for harpsichord.
On March 17, 1694 her opera ‘Céphale et Procris’ premiered at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal. The tragédie en musique in five acts with a libretto by Joseph-François Duché de Vancy is loosely based on one of Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’ and tells the story of Cephalus and Procris, a sad tale full of cruel intrigues and entanglements. Although the opera was performed only a few times because of resurgent Catholic influence at the court, it has remained preserved. The beautiful aria ‘Lieux écartez, paisible solitude’ by the character Prokris touched me with the quiet elegance of its melody and its expressive harmonies. The suffering of Procris who must be separated from her lover, really touches the listeners heart.
You can view the full list of female musicians and composers on IDAGIO here.
