# A new label revives forgotten female composers' music



## Nawdry (Dec 27, 2020)

How about giving more attention to women composers in classical music? Especially those who have been in the shadows?

A new recording label – La Boîte à Pépites (The Jewel Box) – focusing on precisely such composers, was highlighted in a National Public Radio (NPR) program aired on 17 August, which broadcast an interview with French cellist Héloïse Luzzati, who has launched the new label. 

The first offering is a 3-CD box set of premiere recordings of works of composer Charlotte Sohy (1877-1955). Here's a graphic of the album cover:










While this composer was totally unknown to me, I found the excerpts played during the broadcast quite engaging. Her style is described as "sometimes impressionistic, sometimes figurative, with colors of Ravel, Chausson or Debussy."

A summary of the the interview as well as a link to the 7-minute audio broadcast (plus a YouTube video from the Festival Un Temps pour Elles) can be accessed online:

A new label revives forgotten female composers' music

Luzzati's effort comes in amidst a serious, multifaceted crisis in classical music, in which the marginalization of women (along with some ethnic groups) from participation in composition seems to have a role. Bringing hitherto "hidden jewels" of great music out of the shadows and into the classical scene surely constitutes a significant remedial contribution.


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## Andrew Kenneth (Feb 17, 2018)

The life and career of Charlotte Sohy =>


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Many thanks for bringing this to our attention. I'm going to find those disks; I'm always up for music I've never heard before. There's just so much music that has been left to gather dust that we've never heard or even heard of. The "system" has been rigged so long in favor of dead-white-European-males and I for one am happy to see the cracks beginning to show. There's a long, long. long way to go. One orchestra I play with has made a commitment to program one of its six concerts every year to be music by women only. I wonder if Sohy has any orchestral works that are playable? Will have to check her out.


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

mbhaub said:


> The "system" has been rigged so long in favor of dead-white-European-males and I for one am happy to see the cracks beginning to show.


Of course! Let us replace them all with living-black-American-female CM composers! It also would be instructive to flush out the identities of those wicked individuals who did the rigging.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Great idea, bit pessimistic, how many copies have to be sold for a bit of profit. 
( They need that for new investment)


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

mbhaub said:


> There's just so much music that has been left to gather dust that we've never heard or even heard of. The "system" has been rigged so long in favor of dead-white-European-males and I for one am happy to see the cracks beginning to show.


Without denying the obvious fact that women and minorities have faced much injustice and oppression, in the arts as in life, if you look between the cracks you’ll also discover thousands upon thousands of compositions written over the centuries by thousands of those favored dead white European males that have also been left to gather dust, that we’ve never heard or even heard of. The great poet John Milton entertained a lofty ambition, namely, to write something which the world “should not willingly let die”. It’s an exceedingly difficult thing to do, whatever your gender or race happen to be. Most works fall stillborn from the press. As Spinoza said, “all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare” and in a busy world, over time the less-than-excellent tends to lose whatever audience it may once have had.


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

advokat said:


> Of course! Let us replace them all with living-black-American-female CM composers!


What a silly suggestion. Why would we want to replace them all, instead of just making room for some composers that don't tick the "dead white European male boxes"?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

A worthwhile endeavour - I really hope it does well.


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

Forster said:


> What a silly suggestion. Why would we want to replace them all, instead of just making room for some composers that don't tick the "dead white European male boxes"?


Because, as per testimony of mbhaub, the "system" was "rigged" in their favour, and, therefore, they are where they are unjustly and wrongly. When a politico occupies a post as a result of rigged elections, he is defenestrated, and the elections are cancelled. Here, as I understand mbhaub, who is happy to see the current "system" crumble, we should acts mutatis mutandis. Let us put those who tick all the correct boxes in place of the beneficiaries of a rigged system! (not my position, of course, but who am I).


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

advokat said:


> Because, as per testimony of mbhaub, the system was "rigged" in their favour, and, therefore, they are where they are unjustly and wrongly. When a politico occupies a post as a result of rigged elections, he is defenestrated, and elections are cancelled. Here, as I understand mbhaub, who is happy to see the current "system" crumble, we should acts mutatis mutandis. Let us put those who tick all the correct boxes in place of the beneficiaries of the rigged system! (not my position, of course, but who am I).


Why would you advocate a system that isn't your position?


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I don't want the system to crumble, I want it to thrive. But it must be agreed that in too many cases the repertoire has become frozen with little interest in exploring mostly unheard music - the new AND the old! Whenever I conduct a concert I always sneak in some forgotten music by mostly forgotten American composers. Those of the New England school are particular favorites. I'm a rabid collector of music by Raff, Rubinstein, Reinecke. I was touting the glories of Franz Schmidt 50 years ago when hardly any of his music was recorded. And I support modern composers, to an extent. I can't tolerate the serialists. Only in classical music do our performing groups depend so much on the creations of the past. Movies, boooks, TV, art shows...they all thrive on NEW material.

I just ordered the Sohy disks from Presto and I've even done some preliminary work on locating a score of her symphony. Maybe it's worthy of performance in the 2023/24 season. It's not new music, but it's new to me and that's all that matters.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

I don't have a problem with promoting various groups of composers that have been under-represented, but I'm not a fan of lumping them into one program/album. Let them be mixed in with their colleagues of different backgrounds. As long as the music is "good". BTW the works programmed/recorded (all composers of all types) can't be all masterpieces, thus the word "good". To have just masterpieces deprives the audience of many wonderful pieces. 

The composing community right now, is quite divisive with competitions, call for scores and the like sometimes segregating the type of people who can apply. Such as (1) no one beyond "X" years old (2) only female (3) only LGQB (4) only non-whites. While this restricts what things I, a straight old white guy, can apply for, I can see the merit in trying to give under-represented a better chance. Hopefully some time down "the road", there will be no need to segregate


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

[Ñ]


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

If I hadn't stopped acquiring recordings, I would definitely pick up this new Sohy 3-cd set.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

Meh. I'll stick with dead white guys—it has worked well for me thus far.


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## whispering (Oct 26, 2013)

mbhaub said:


> I don't want the system to crumble, I want it to thrive. But it must be agreed that in too many cases the repertoire has become frozen with little interest in exploring mostly unheard music - the new AND the old! Whenever I conduct a concert I always sneak in some forgotten music by mostly forgotten American composers. Those of the New England school are particular favorites. I'm a rabid collector of music by Raff, Rubinstein, Reinecke. I was touting the glories of Franz Schmidt 50 years ago when hardly any of his music was recorded. And I support modern composers, to an extent. I can't tolerate the serialists. Only in classical music do our performing groups depend so much on the creations of the past. Movies, boooks, TV, art shows...they all thrive on NEW material.
> 
> I just ordered the Sohy disks from Presto and I've even done some preliminary work on locating a score of her symphony. Maybe it's worthy of performance in the 2023/24 season. It's not new music, but it's new to me and that's all that matters.


Dear mbhaub

Please can I follow up on your above comment which caused my eyes to light up. Long story but by chance recently I acquired two CDs of music by the composer Reinecke. I had not heard any of his music before and found the symphonies 2 and 3, the piano quartets op34 and op272 and the piano quintet op83 very interesting. The daunting thing is a brief look at his career output and he wrote so much music. As a rabid collector of his music can you point me in the direction of other compositions you would recommend to get a real introduction to his music. I really would appreciate any recommendations you can make.

The same applies to Raff another composer you mention who has a large output and is completely unknown to me.

My main interest is in chamber music and piano quintets or concertos, but to be honest at present I will dip my toe into anything recommended. For example if a person was just stumbling onto Beethoven or Mozart restricting themselves to the above areas would mean missing so much really good music eg violin concertos, symphonies, cello concertos, etc. Your guidance would be very welcome.

regarding this thread I fear to tread as some views seem rather strident. I would make a simple observation. The past classical music system was built in an era where to hear it meant attending a concert. There were no recording studios or LPs, CDs or streaming. There was I suggest a natural tendency to stick with what sold. However technology in our life times has transformed the sound system options and classical music should have moved forward with it and broken onto new ground.

Not a case of throwing out Beethoven and Brahms to welcome in newer and less well known composers, from more varied backgrounds. More a case of using the vast open spaces of where classical music can be heard and widening the selection within it. Streaming, YouTube, etc, “are big enough for the both of us”. I wish the new label well. A few years ago I stumbled on music by Rebecca Clarke, her piano trio is great. So little else available to listen to mores the pity and proves the point made by the originator of this thread. I welcome diversity but still love my Beethoven, Brahms, etc.


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