“Do not take up music unless you would rather die than not do so” (Nadia Boulanger). Due to self-perceived male dominance in the music world few works by women composers are part of standard classical music repertoire, yet women have been composing music since at least the ninth century. Despite many attempts to minimise or erase their contributions in music, women continued to forge ahead and innovate across all the genres.
To acknowledge this, the first of our March programmes explored the contribution of five women composers across several centuries – Isabella Leonarda and Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre in the17th century, Josefine Weinlich in the 19th and Florence Price and Doreen Carwithin in the 20th - each with a different nationality, background and type of composition - and most with a story to tell reflecting the difficulties women composers faced in the age in which they lived.
“True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time.” (George Gershwin). Commissioned, after the success of his “Rhapsody in Blue”, Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, with its wink to Broadway and rhythm of the Charleston “represents the young enthusiastic spirit of American life,” said the composer. One critic reviewing the work claimed that Gershwin, “alone of all those writing the music of today . . . expresses us”. Such was the centrepiece of our 2nd March session. Supporting works by Wagner, Vivaldi and Saint-Saens combined for an international flavour (American, German, Venetian and French) and a varied instrumental approach to the programme.
Details and links to all the recordings can be accessed by clicking on the relevant link below:
Session Notes 13th March
Florence Price - Concert Overture No.2
Doreen Carwithin - Concerto for Piano and Strings
Josefine Weinlich - Feldblumen Walzer
Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre - Suite in A
Isabella Leonarda - Sonata Duodecima
Session Notes 27th March
Wagner - Rienzi Overture
Vivaldi - Concerto for Flautino
Saint-Saens - Cello Concerto in A minor
To watch a video of the Gershwin Piano Concerto, copy & paste the following link into your search engine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P26m_5In3yY&t=1 - or watch below: -
To acknowledge this, the first of our March programmes explored the contribution of five women composers across several centuries – Isabella Leonarda and Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre in the17th century, Josefine Weinlich in the 19th and Florence Price and Doreen Carwithin in the 20th - each with a different nationality, background and type of composition - and most with a story to tell reflecting the difficulties women composers faced in the age in which they lived.
“True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time.” (George Gershwin). Commissioned, after the success of his “Rhapsody in Blue”, Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, with its wink to Broadway and rhythm of the Charleston “represents the young enthusiastic spirit of American life,” said the composer. One critic reviewing the work claimed that Gershwin, “alone of all those writing the music of today . . . expresses us”. Such was the centrepiece of our 2nd March session. Supporting works by Wagner, Vivaldi and Saint-Saens combined for an international flavour (American, German, Venetian and French) and a varied instrumental approach to the programme.
Details and links to all the recordings can be accessed by clicking on the relevant link below:
Session Notes 13th March
Florence Price - Concert Overture No.2
Doreen Carwithin - Concerto for Piano and Strings
Josefine Weinlich - Feldblumen Walzer
Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre - Suite in A
Isabella Leonarda - Sonata Duodecima
Session Notes 27th March
Wagner - Rienzi Overture
Vivaldi - Concerto for Flautino
Saint-Saens - Cello Concerto in A minor
To watch a video of the Gershwin Piano Concerto, copy & paste the following link into your search engine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P26m_5In3yY&t=1 - or watch below: -
Bill Squire
