Listening to Women Composers - March 2017

As we come to the end of Women’s History Month 2017, for me it has been a month of discovering women composers of the Romantic and Impressionist era.  I made it my goal to go to YouTube each day and find an unknown, to me, woman composer.

I started by putting in the name of French composer, Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) in the search area.  I had known her name from my music history classes.  Several times I listened to her Symphony #3 then went on to her Symphony #1 and chamber music.  Over and over I kept asking myself why her symphonies are not performed by all orchestras whether conservatory or professional.  These works are lyrical, full of emotion and major pieces of music that should be performed. 

YouTube then brought up composer Dora Pejačević (1885-1923), an Hungarian/Croatian composer.  I listened to her Symphony #4 in F# Minor and her Piano Concerto in G Minor.  Again, the question……….why are her works not performed?  Her output of 106 compositions includes songs, piano pieces, chamber music and orchestral works.  Beautiful romantic works draw the listener into her creative musical journey. 

Next up, came the PianoConcerto of German Romantic composer, Emilie Mayer (1812-1883).  What a surprise.  She composed eight symphonies, chamber music, lieder and concert overtures.  Such talent and again beautiful music.  WHY? …..you may finish the question.

A piano sonata written by Valborg Aulin (1860-1928), a Swedish pianist and composer was on YouTube’s list.  The strength and intensity of this sonata was compelling.  Along with her piano compositions are lieder, organ works and string quartets. 

As a friend of mine said about YouTube and listening to all the wonderful performances available, you feel guilty that you have not paid to either buy the CD, download the music or attend a concert where these works are being performed.  Yet, YouTube has, for me, become a learning tool and one which I appreciate greatly.  My mission is to continue finding these unknown, to me, women composers and listen, listen, listen. 

Most important, I intend to read more about these four women composers and champion their music as much as I am able.  Then, I must add a big thank you to the musicologists and performers who found the scores to these women composer’s works and recorded them.  The time and effort to do all that work is an act of love and dedication.  THANK YOU! 

There may be a day when the gender neutral English word “composer” is just what it says.  In the meantime - research women composers, listen to their music, buy their music, perform their music, attend concerts of their music and become an active advocate for women in music. 

Women's History Month 2017

During the month of March, we acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of women of historical importance and those of today's world who carry the torch to make an impact on our society.  Thousands and thousands of women's names should be added to an honor roll of some sort!

The first International Women's Day began here in the United States in 1911.  By 1978, the Sonoma, California school district celebrated a Women's History Week that surrounded International Women's Day on March 8th.  The following year, Sarah Lawrence College held a conference about women's history.  President Jimmy Carter, in 1980, declared the week of March 8th as National Women's History Week.  A year later, Senator Orin Hatch and Representative Barbara Mikulski co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a Women's History Week.  By petitioning Congress in 1987, the National Women's History Project had March declared as National Women's History Month.  Presidents since that time have issued proclamations for Women's History Month each March.  

Only 30 years have passed since our national government granted, on a yearly basis, the celebration of our women, their accomplishments and contributions to our society.  What women we have to honor!  There are the famous, not-so-famous, stubborn women, women who held their heads high to overcome the prejudice brought on them just because they were women in the work place, our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, writers, musicians, teachers, actors, judges, athletes, scientists, historians and much, much more.  We owe them a thank you for paving the road for us thus far and now we must continue their work. 

Though I look to history and say thank you to those women I admire, I also look around me for inspiration from women and girls in my everyday life.  Last month, I had the pleasure of observing on two different occasions during a five day period, two little girls approximately four to five years old, who were multi-lingual.  Both spoke English and Spanish fluently.  One of the girls also spoke French and Italian and the other spoke Portuguese.  What an inspiration these little girls were to me.  In my awe and quiet thanks to their mothers, grandmothers and family, I cannot help thinking of how worldly they already are at their young age. 

In a global society that is shrinking linguistically and where everyone must speak English, these young girls are experiencing a larger world because of their ability to communicate in multiple languages.  Even at their young age and as they grow older, they will have knowledge and understanding of a variety of cultures.  Rather than a shrinking world, they have the ability to converse with the world at large. 

Though I have no idea what the future holds for these two young girls or what they may choose as their life’s paths, for me, they are an example and inspiration for all women and girls to verbalize their ambitions, to look at the world and all its opportunities awaiting them, and then continue to pave the road for future generations of women and the language of their individual voices.