# The Nadia Boulanger question



## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

One thing I have often wondered is why so many of the 20th centrury's composers, famous and not so famous, went to France to study with Nadia Boulanger.

Nadia was certainly a composer (so I have read, but it seems not one of any real standing or distinction. Her sister Lili was perhaps better known as a composer, but even her star does not shine so bright.

A search for discs containing Nadia's music pretty much shows nothing on Amazon. This is not a composer who has been recorded very much, it seems. 

Has anyone in here ever heard one of her works, even?

Does anyone have any idea why Nadia Boulanger was such a popular teacher then? I am not saying she could not compose and did not know her stuff, but it's so interesting to me that someone who is virtually unknown as a composer (as opposed to somoen who was a well-known composer AND pedagogue) would have been the instructor of choice for so many well-know composers of the 20th century.

What do you think?


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

There's a big difference between instructor and composer. But yes, the finest composers were also teachers (Alkan was pretty great).

I'll do some digging and find something for you maybe today.

Edit: And here's a play list for you of what I could find fairly quickly: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=664AB0C172F9CF29


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