Womens Sound Found Voices
A Sound Woman's Voice: Unsilencing Woman's Compositional Voice
The writing and research on this page reflects a short excerpt from my 2019 thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sound Arts and Industries. A focal point of the sound I create is to share voices unheard and unfound to listeners. It is my hope that you find the women named here an avenue to inspire 'hearing' women's creative voices. Please note this page will be updated with additional excerpts, research and links for further wonder. Upon his-storys hundreds and hundreds of years of documentation, women’s compositional and creative sound voices in music have been silenced, unmentioned and neglected. To the point where new generations go through reexamination of the status, and lack of status for women in music and sound. At all possible, I will write and curate with comprehendingly curiosity and intellectual honesty. In such, there are usually more questions than answers, whereby I will do my best to serve beyond myself as I research, curate, and write.
Enheduanna in 23rd century BC composed forty-two hymns that are now being safe guarded to survive for future generations. Enheduanna may be the first known author in the world. Kassia (810 - 865) was one of the first medieval composers.
Hildegard Bingen (1098 - 1179) wrote the composition Ordo Virtutum that is being researched as to whether it is the oldest remaining morality play. The trobairitz of the 12th century were the female equals to the male troubadours.
In 1566 Venice, Maddalena Mezari detta Casulana Vicentina (1544 - 1590) also referenced as Maddalena Casulana was the first woman composer to have her music composition published in Il Desiderio I, and in 1568 a full volume of her composed madrigals was published, entitled ‘First Book of Madrigals for Four Voices’ and publish two more books of madrigals in 1583 and 1586
Caterina Assandra (1590 - estimated date 1618) was an Italian nun that had the first Roman style motet published in 1609 Milan and the first collection of musical works composed by an Italian nun.
Francesca Caccini (1587 - 1640) who’s opera, ‘La liberazione de Ruggiero’ was a comic opera in four scenes written in 1624 and premiered in February 3, 1625 may be the first opera written by a woman composer.
In mid-17th century Barbara Strozzi (1619 - 1677) is cited as the most prolific composer in Venice regarding printed secular vocal music of the time.
Louise Farrenc (1804 - 1875) was a woman ahead of her time as she demanded equal pay in 1849 after her Nonet for Wind and Strings premiered to great audience response.
Fanny Mendelssohn wrote over 460 compositions in the genre of ‘Songs without Words’ which was a musical form that her brother Felix became famous for at the time. Although his name was listed as the composer, Felix recognized Fanny publicly that she was the writer of some of his compositions. As Felix played a concert at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria, the Queen spoke about her favorite composition of his titled, “Italien”, whereby, Felix replied that the song was actually the work of his sister.
In 1877 the composer Ethel Smyth (1858 – 1944) was allowed to enroll and study composition at Leipzig. In 1903, Ethel became the first woman composer to have her Opera “Der Wald” produced at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Ethel Smyth’s opera was the only one composed by a woman that was produced and performed at the Metropolitan until 2016’s Kaija Saariaho’s, “L’Amour de Loin”.
In 1885 New York one of the first classical music patrons, Jeannette Thurber established the National Conservatory of Music of America an inclusive school where women out numbered men as the orchestra’s violinists.
Amy Beach (1867-1944) had her first notable success as an American Woman composer when the Boston Handel and Haydn Society performed her “Mass in E-flat”. In 1892 she became the first woman to receive world-wide recognition as a composer of large scale orchestra works.
Amy Fay (1844 – 1928), a world distinguished pianist, lecturer, and teacher, stood alongside female musicians and composers. Amy Fay used her voice to protest against ‘women less than’ theories shouting to silence woman compositional and musical voice.
In 1933 Florence Price (1887 – 1953) became the first African American woman to have her music played by an American orchestra. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Florence Price’s “Symphony in E minor" that won first prize in the Wanamaker Awards Competition. The Chicago Daily News music critic declared the symphony, “a faultless work, a work that speaks its own message with restraint and yet with passion... worthy of a place in the regular symphonic repertoire.”
Florence Price visited often the home of Estelle C. Bonds who was a church musician and member of the National Association of Negro Musicians. Estelle Bonds daughter is Margaret Bonds (1913 - 1972) an American composer, pianist, music arranger and teacher. Margaret Bonds started composing music at an early age as she studied from her mother. Margaret’s first composition is listed as "Marquette Street Blues" composed in 1918 when she was five years of age. While in high school, Margaret Bonds became a composition and music student of Florence Price. On June 15, 1933 Margaret Bonds became the first African American person in history to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Margaret Bonds earned a BA and MA and cited Langston Hughes poem, “The Negro Speaks to Rivers” as being instrumental in her surviving racism and getting her through her college years. After university she studied at Juilliard School of Music. She formed the Margaret Bonds Chamber Society a group of African American musicians who performed and promoted the works of African American classical composers. Margaret Bonds collaborated with Langston Hughes to bring his written works to music. It is said that she sought composition studies with Nadia Boulanger, yet according to records Nadia Boulanger stated Margaret Bonds didn't need further studies as Boulanger held in highest regard Margaret Bonds composition for voice and piano of Langston Hughes poem titled, "The Negro Speaks to Rivers".
Nadia Boulanger’s contributions to today’s music in the producing style of Jazz, Pop, and Hip Hop artists who claim they are influenced by Quincy Jones. Mr. Jones credits Nadia Boulanger teaching him how to find musical voice. We can also look at those who are inspired by Leonard Bernstein or Igor Stravinsky two other composers within her hundreds of students she taught how to find their compositional voice that we listen to today.
Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901 – 1953) was the first American female composer to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1930. She used the fellowship to study in Europe, where she expressed her compositional voice in many works including the innovative “String Quartet” (1931) that has become a major addition to the canon of American Modernism. She is one of the distinguished early American experimentalist - modernist composers of the 1920s and 1930s and highly regarded musicologist especially in the area of American folk music.
“There is no gender in music.” Elinor Remick Warren (1900-1991). Elinor Remick Warren is one of the longest and most prolific composers in American musical history.
The writing and research on this page reflects a short excerpt from my 2019 thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sound Arts and Industries. A focal point of the sound I create is to share voices unheard and unfound to listeners. It is my hope that you find the women named here an avenue to inspire 'hearing' women's creative voices. Please note this page will be updated with additional excerpts, research and links for further wonder. Upon his-storys hundreds and hundreds of years of documentation, women’s compositional and creative sound voices in music have been silenced, unmentioned and neglected. To the point where new generations go through reexamination of the status, and lack of status for women in music and sound. At all possible, I will write and curate with comprehendingly curiosity and intellectual honesty. In such, there are usually more questions than answers, whereby I will do my best to serve beyond myself as I research, curate, and write.
Enheduanna in 23rd century BC composed forty-two hymns that are now being safe guarded to survive for future generations. Enheduanna may be the first known author in the world. Kassia (810 - 865) was one of the first medieval composers.
Hildegard Bingen (1098 - 1179) wrote the composition Ordo Virtutum that is being researched as to whether it is the oldest remaining morality play. The trobairitz of the 12th century were the female equals to the male troubadours.
In 1566 Venice, Maddalena Mezari detta Casulana Vicentina (1544 - 1590) also referenced as Maddalena Casulana was the first woman composer to have her music composition published in Il Desiderio I, and in 1568 a full volume of her composed madrigals was published, entitled ‘First Book of Madrigals for Four Voices’ and publish two more books of madrigals in 1583 and 1586
Caterina Assandra (1590 - estimated date 1618) was an Italian nun that had the first Roman style motet published in 1609 Milan and the first collection of musical works composed by an Italian nun.
Francesca Caccini (1587 - 1640) who’s opera, ‘La liberazione de Ruggiero’ was a comic opera in four scenes written in 1624 and premiered in February 3, 1625 may be the first opera written by a woman composer.
In mid-17th century Barbara Strozzi (1619 - 1677) is cited as the most prolific composer in Venice regarding printed secular vocal music of the time.
Louise Farrenc (1804 - 1875) was a woman ahead of her time as she demanded equal pay in 1849 after her Nonet for Wind and Strings premiered to great audience response.
Fanny Mendelssohn wrote over 460 compositions in the genre of ‘Songs without Words’ which was a musical form that her brother Felix became famous for at the time. Although his name was listed as the composer, Felix recognized Fanny publicly that she was the writer of some of his compositions. As Felix played a concert at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria, the Queen spoke about her favorite composition of his titled, “Italien”, whereby, Felix replied that the song was actually the work of his sister.
In 1877 the composer Ethel Smyth (1858 – 1944) was allowed to enroll and study composition at Leipzig. In 1903, Ethel became the first woman composer to have her Opera “Der Wald” produced at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Ethel Smyth’s opera was the only one composed by a woman that was produced and performed at the Metropolitan until 2016’s Kaija Saariaho’s, “L’Amour de Loin”.
In 1885 New York one of the first classical music patrons, Jeannette Thurber established the National Conservatory of Music of America an inclusive school where women out numbered men as the orchestra’s violinists.
Amy Beach (1867-1944) had her first notable success as an American Woman composer when the Boston Handel and Haydn Society performed her “Mass in E-flat”. In 1892 she became the first woman to receive world-wide recognition as a composer of large scale orchestra works.
Amy Fay (1844 – 1928), a world distinguished pianist, lecturer, and teacher, stood alongside female musicians and composers. Amy Fay used her voice to protest against ‘women less than’ theories shouting to silence woman compositional and musical voice.
In 1933 Florence Price (1887 – 1953) became the first African American woman to have her music played by an American orchestra. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Florence Price’s “Symphony in E minor" that won first prize in the Wanamaker Awards Competition. The Chicago Daily News music critic declared the symphony, “a faultless work, a work that speaks its own message with restraint and yet with passion... worthy of a place in the regular symphonic repertoire.”
Florence Price visited often the home of Estelle C. Bonds who was a church musician and member of the National Association of Negro Musicians. Estelle Bonds daughter is Margaret Bonds (1913 - 1972) an American composer, pianist, music arranger and teacher. Margaret Bonds started composing music at an early age as she studied from her mother. Margaret’s first composition is listed as "Marquette Street Blues" composed in 1918 when she was five years of age. While in high school, Margaret Bonds became a composition and music student of Florence Price. On June 15, 1933 Margaret Bonds became the first African American person in history to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Margaret Bonds earned a BA and MA and cited Langston Hughes poem, “The Negro Speaks to Rivers” as being instrumental in her surviving racism and getting her through her college years. After university she studied at Juilliard School of Music. She formed the Margaret Bonds Chamber Society a group of African American musicians who performed and promoted the works of African American classical composers. Margaret Bonds collaborated with Langston Hughes to bring his written works to music. It is said that she sought composition studies with Nadia Boulanger, yet according to records Nadia Boulanger stated Margaret Bonds didn't need further studies as Boulanger held in highest regard Margaret Bonds composition for voice and piano of Langston Hughes poem titled, "The Negro Speaks to Rivers".
Nadia Boulanger’s contributions to today’s music in the producing style of Jazz, Pop, and Hip Hop artists who claim they are influenced by Quincy Jones. Mr. Jones credits Nadia Boulanger teaching him how to find musical voice. We can also look at those who are inspired by Leonard Bernstein or Igor Stravinsky two other composers within her hundreds of students she taught how to find their compositional voice that we listen to today.
Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901 – 1953) was the first American female composer to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1930. She used the fellowship to study in Europe, where she expressed her compositional voice in many works including the innovative “String Quartet” (1931) that has become a major addition to the canon of American Modernism. She is one of the distinguished early American experimentalist - modernist composers of the 1920s and 1930s and highly regarded musicologist especially in the area of American folk music.
“There is no gender in music.” Elinor Remick Warren (1900-1991). Elinor Remick Warren is one of the longest and most prolific composers in American musical history.