# Women's History Month discussion



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

It is women's History Month and I am celebrating women all month on my music and blog and got to thinking I never post enough classical music. So the search for great women in the classical field led me here. And while I wish I could just ask "Who are some great instrumental soloists in classical music" invariably I have to qualify this question by specifying women. Otherwise I get lists that are 99% men playing violin. So- Who are your favorite female soloists and for that matter composers and conductors as they too are ion short supply.

As for composers, I only know a handful and most are from the last century and don't really know, which ones are considered great.

Hildegard von Bingen
Anna Bon di Venezia
Clara Schumann
Fanny Mendelsshon
Amy Beach - Love her Piano Conercto in C#
Florence B. Price - I Love all of her symphonies they feel VERY American in the same school as Copland
Thea Musgrave
Sofia Gubaidulina
Joan Tower
Libby Larsen
Chen Yi
Keiko Abe
Ellen Taaffe Zwillich

As for soloists, personally, I am drawn to

Evelyn Glennie - Percussion She is a personal hero and I really like here recordings of the percussion concertos by Chen Yi and Joseph Schwantner but my favorite is 'Journey Through A Japanese Landscape' by Thea Musgrave. You have to have really good speakers or you'll miss the openings of many of the movements

Sharon Isbin - Classical Guitar I love everything she does, especially the new and commissioned work but am currently fascinated by he recording of Joan Towers' 'Clocks'

Abbie Conant - Trombone





Lily Laskine - Harp Caplet's Harp Conerto is haunting

Martha Argerich - Piano Maybe the definitive Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev pianist for me

Viktoria Mullova - Violin This may be my favorite violin performance of all time MAY BE





Michala Petri - Recorder Her recording of the Devil's Trill is astounding sadly this video is incomplete. I also really enjoy the work composed specifically for her.

Clara Rockmore - Theremin The master, the absolute master. A Theremin supposedly is impossible to play perfectly and yet she does.





Vida Chenoweth/Keiko Abe - Marimba (no videos for Vida sadly)


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Might want to check out American composer Jennifer Higdon, who is quite popular. Also the Korean composer Unsuk Chin, who is making a lot of noise (word used advisedly) right now.


----------



## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Setting aside the label "great" (which is very subjective), I think discussions & articles on female composers should not exclude Edith Canat de Chizy, Elisabeth Lutyens nor Kaija Saariaho (to name but 3).










Consult Canat de Chizy's discographie:

http://www.edithcanatdechizy.com/discographie.php

One of the U.K.'s leading serialists was Elisabeth Lutyens ...










... who for a short period during the mid-1960s also wrote scores for British horror/thrillers.

Let us not forget Kaija Saariaho (2008's composer of the year), championed by Ondine.

http://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=4.2&oid=614


----------



## worov (Oct 12, 2012)

What about Cécile Chaminade ?






Does anyone know Agathe Backer-Grøndahl ?


----------



## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Ester Mägi:


----------



## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Barbara Strozzi? An ideal for any herstory season - illegitimate, a single mother and an excellent composer


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I second several of the already mentioned, and add:

Grażyna Bacewicz
Galina Ustvolskaya


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

A few more recommendations:

*Lucia Dlugoszewski*: Fire Fragile Flight. I love the nature-like anarchy of this piece 




*Ljubica Maric*: A fine, archaic piano concerto "Byzantine Concerto" 




*Gloria Coates*: her perpetual glissandi can be tiring IMO, but some pieces are interesting - 
15th Symphony 



Hommage to Van Gogh 




*Vitezslava Kapralova* (1915-1940), a tragic Czech destiny - a neo-romantic Piano Concerto 




*Onute Narbutaite*: Open the Gate 



Symphony con Triangolo 




*Victoria Borisova-Ollas *: Behind the Shadows 




*Zara Levina*: Piano Concerto 




*Elena Firsova*: Cello Concerto


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Thank you tensongsblog for this interesting post. I'm afraid that I am just too ignorant with reference to the subject of female composers to be able to contribute anything of substance in this regard. But I'll go away and 'contemplate' re female performers of note in the classical field and return to post, later.


----------



## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Another member of this site, Quack, recommended Francesca Caccini to me as a composer, though most of her operatic output is not extant. The samples on YouTube sound lovely, though.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

For performers:

Maria Yudina, pianist, with a very interesting biography;

Martha Argerich of course, recorded Beethoven´s Concerto 1 at the age of 7 (very poor sound)



 




Yvonne Lefebure, pianist; 




Gina Bachauer, pianist 




Ida Haendel, violinist;

Guila Bustabo, violinist.

Anne-Sophie Mutter, violinist;

Karine Georgian, cellist (what a beautiful video) 




Manuela Wiesler, flutist


----------



## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

A highly underrated (imo) cellist Seeli Toivio conducted by Nazanin Aghakhani, another talented lady





Here's another up and coming woman cellist, Alisa Weilerstein


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Not mentioned yet:

Ethel Smyth

mainly known for her opera _The wreckers_.


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Wanda Landowska, for her harpsichord playing, for her bravery and determination to carry on making-music even under air-attack in war-torn France & for teaching a favourite pianist, Clifford Curzon. And for playing her Pleyel instrument so well on several cds I have of Bach and Scarlatti.

Evelyn Barbirolli OBE...for her Oboe playing (she was the first-ever soloist in Mozart's 'Oboe Concerto' k314 in 1948, known previously only in the version for flute and orchestra) and for providing support to Sir John Barbirolli, whose conducting I grew-up listening-to and enjoying (particularly when conducting 'Marche Slave!')

For the violinistic skills of Viktoria Mullova, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Kyung-Wha Chung, Rachel Podger, Ida Haendel, Tamsin Little, Sarah Chang, Midori, Hilary Hahn and many more....

Tabea Zimmermann on the Viola, Jacqueline Du Pre, Natalie Klein... and the promise of Laura van der Heijdan (Young Musician winner) on cello

Alison Balsom on the trumpet and Marisa Robles on the harp & has been mentioned, Evelyn Glennie DBE on Percussion....and my pal Marian, on the french horn!

Then there's the pianists (and Conductors)....who I will leave for someone else to note...in case I say something about a certain renowned female pianist that frankly, I am not_ that _keen on. (She once played one of the worst performances of my favourite Schumann Concerto in a Live concert that I've ever heard...despite the drooling of her legions of admirers, who immediately leapt to their feet at the end and applauded like crazy!)

( Please forgive any repetitions from those already named above ....)


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

The women conductors that come to mind (because the composers I know have all been covered):

Simone Young: has become a conductor focusing on the Germanic repertory of Wagner, Bruckner, and Mahler. I've heard her Bruckner, and it's great.

Marin Alsop: an American who has recorded Brahms and Mahler in addition to contemporary American music of an accessible nature (as well as a decent disc of Takemitsu).

Susanna Mälkki: a Finnish conductor of contemporary music (the type considered less accessible), and current director of Boulez's Ensemble InterContemporain.

As for performers, a mention needs to be made of Yvonne Loriod, the second wife of Olivier Messiaen and the one for whom he wrote his insanely difficult piano parts.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> Not mentioned yet:
> 
> Ethel Smyth
> 
> mainly known for her opera _The wreckers_.


Ethel Smyth is also known for "March of the Women" (1911), the anthem of the suffragist movement in Britain.


----------



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

a certain renowned female pianist that frankly, I am not_ that _keen on. (She once played one of the worst performances of my favourite Schumann Concerto in a Live concert that I've ever heard...despite the drooling of her legions of admirers, who immediately leapt to their feet at the end and applauded like crazy!)

Oooo I can only imagine it is Argerich. If it is her it depends on what she is playing for me like her Bartok Sonata 80 is astounding but other times she can be meh- not too many other times though.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I thought Argerich too - however Helene Grimaud, and to a less degree Lisitsa, Hewitt, Davidovich, Leonskaja, Olga Kern and De La Rocha have lots of fans too, so perhaps-perhaps one of them was being referred to (and more understandably so ).

Argerich´s Schumann concerto with Harnoncourt/European CO is fantastic and lyrical, yet has no romantic bravour or eccentricities. Her recordings can be very varied - and the qualities of the accompanying musicians too, of course.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Has the late marie-Claire Alain (organ) been mentioned?


----------



## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

I am surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the great Germaine Tailleferre!










Listen to her great Piano Concerto no. 1 and Piano Trio!
















Best regards, Dr


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I can't believe I forgot to mention the quite talented Alma Mahler (born Alma Schindler), married for a decade to my namesake. It's a shame she didn't pursue composition, but that's partially because Gustav dissuaded her (during their marital crisis, he actually changed his mind and helped get these songs published).


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I shall remain 'schtumm' on that particular female pianist! With reference to Argerich, I have several cds of hers....excellent performances of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and Bartok amongst others. I think that the point is... that with our individual capacity to appreciate music on various levels...emotional and intellectual, we will always respond to pianists that interpret the music in a way that reflects our individual characters and it is that that determines our preferences.


----------



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

This remind of the similar situation with Mozart's sister who too was dissuaded from composing, I don't know if music had anything to with it but I would find ironic if her not pursuing music was reason she outlived him by so many years. Not being driven mad by the music so to speak.

And I thought there was another museical women with a famous husband but I can't recall her now or maybe I'm just thinking of Fanny again.

OT: But speaking of Mahler my friend and I are doing a Mahler night by watching the DVD 'Keeping Score' where MTT discusses Mahler and the conduct the SFS. I am pleased being from the area that the SFS is the first symphony to record all of Mahler works on CD. Anyway this came about because me and my friend are reading 'The Rest Is Noise' by Alex Ross.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

tensongsblog said:


> And I thought there was another musical women with a famous husband but I can't recall her now or maybe I'm just thinking of Fanny again.


Likely Clara Schumann.


----------



## SottoVoce (Jul 29, 2011)

A couple of people here were interested in Louise Farrenc a while ago. I don't know much of it, but the things that I have heard are of a high quality.

And how could anyone forget Madame Boulanger, the inspiration to hundreds of post-1945 composers?


----------



## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Been digging Rebecca Saunders recently






And Helena Tulve is another modern composer worth hearing


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Did anybody mention Nadia and Lili Boulanger? Certainly notable, both, at the very least.


----------



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Did anybody mention Nadia and Lili Boulanger? Certainly notable, both, at the very least.


I forgot Lili and I even played her on my blog! The piece was Psalm 130 Du Fond de L'Abime.

And also Karen Tanaka is a very respected Japanese composer. And then there is Shulamit Ran, Emma Lou Diemer, Undine Smith Moore, and Chiquinha Gonzaga from Brazil though I mostly know of short pieces though, no orchestral suites.

But thanks ya'll for the suggestions and keep them coming. It is giving me more ideas no for women to put on my compilation that I am making for friends and family for WHM.


----------



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

DrKilroy said:


> I am surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the great Germaine Tailleferre!
> 
> Wow! That concerto is nice. For some reason it conjures up all these scenes from Charles Dickens novels. That 1st section is REALLY rousing.


----------



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Yay! As a bit of a feminist myself, I'm extremely happy to see female composers starting to get their due respect and prominence these days.

Here are a few that some people have not mentioned yet as far as I could tell:

Julia Wolfe - really exciting post-minimalist











Zeena Parkins - She is a multi-genre composer, who is also an electric harp player. She has done with with progressive rock and jazz bands, as well as electronic music and classical music.

Here's an example of her electronic harp performing (this one isn't that complimentary to her performance level but it's what I could find): 




Example of her classical composition: 




Ikue Mori - Ikue Mori does similar work as Zeena Parkins (they are somewhat partners in crime haha and have collaborated on many works) but I think Ikue Mori has even more focus on electronic music.

One of her most famous pieces is "100 Aspects of the Moon" which is a very beautiful and mesmerizing piece that combines instrumental and electronic music.










And here is some of her other work, along with collaboration efforts with Zeena Parkins










Aleksandra Vrebalov is another good one that will appeal to people with more conservative tastes. She is somewhat of a Serbian nationalist and it shows in her music.










And I couldn't talk about female composers without including my own private teacher Janice Giteck  I haven't actually heard that much of her music because a lot of it is not available and she doesn't show off much of her own stuff in our lessons, but I definitely like what I have heard.






Here's an interview with her to make up for the last of music selections.





That's the office where our lessons take place


----------



## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

tensongsblog said:


> a certain renowned female pianist that frankly, I am not_ that _keen on. (She once played one of the worst performances of my favourite Schumann Concerto in a Live concert that I've ever heard...despite the drooling of her legions of admirers, who immediately leapt to their feet at the end and applauded like crazy!)
> 
> Oooo I can only imagine it is Argerich. If it is her it depends on what she is playing for me like her Bartok Sonata 80 is astounding but other times she can be meh- not too many other times though.


She plays for you--lucky old you.
I have a tape of her playing the Schuman at the Proms I believe,it is the the best version I've ever heard and I am not a member of the legion.


----------



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

For performers, I quite like Mitsuko Uchida's Mozart!


----------



## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

tensongsblog said:


> Wow! That concerto is nice. For some reason it conjures up all these scenes from Charles Dickens novels. That 1st section is REALLY rousing.


I am really happy you like it. 

Best regards, Dr


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I'm glad you have an interpretation of the Schumann that gives you considerable pleasure, moody & meets your exacting standards. I don't think that I saw that particular Proms performance, so I can't comment one way or the other. 
But I would be amazed if it over-rode my long-held choice for the Schumann concerto.....that recorded with Colin Davis by her third husband...Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich.


----------



## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

JCarmel said:


> I'm glad you have an interpretation of the Schumann that gives you considerable pleasure, moody & meets your exacting standards. I don't think that I saw that particular Proms performance, so I can't comment one way or the other.
> But I would be amazed if it over-rode my long-held choice for the Schumann concerto.....that recorded with Colin Davis by her third husband...Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich.


Who's third husband ?


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

There´s a published, rather informal conversation between the former couple Argerich/Kovacevich here:

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/HallofFame/Argerich/Feature/Interview


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Indeed there is ....I posted a link to the Glenn Gould/Shostakovich youtube recording referred-to in the text yesterday, on the 'Current Listening' thread.

I like the sound of Martha personally... 

MA: Well, I am a Gemini. A strange contradiction for a performer, n’est-ce pas? But one doesn’t choose to be a performer. One doesn’t choose one’s character. I think one’s character is formed early and then you happen to be a performer later. It’s not your free choice. You don’t know what’s going to happen psychologically and emotionally. Maybe you want to learn and move closer to music and, yes, to what you love – but that doesn’t mean that you enjoy the performing.

but I think this comment of hers perhaps captures why she is not amongst my very favourite pianists....

MA: That’s because I  wanted to get it over. I am very impatient ....


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

A female composer I came across for the first time today: Elfrida Andrée (19 February 1841 - 11 January 1929), was a Swedish organist, composer, and conductor.

Wikipedia.


----------



## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

Misato Mochizuki is another one.
She's the composer in residence at my town festival of music (which hosts the famous Concours international de jeunes chefs d'orchestre de Besançon, for which she'll write a piece).


----------



## tensongsblog (Mar 28, 2013)

And I know this isn't "classical" but she is a composer, Rachel Portman should get a mention for being the first woman to win an Oscar for best original score for Emma. I also think she was the first woman nominated for that Oscar as well and possibly the only woman nominated but I don't have time to do any serious fact checking now.


----------

