«There is nothing greater than the joy of composing something oneself and then listening to it. There are some beautiful passages in this trio, and I also believe the composition to be quite good.» These words belong to Clara Schumann, who had every reason to be pleased with herself. She was, after all, a proficient composer and one of the best pianists of the 19th century, regardless of gender.
Still she hastens to add: «Of course this is only a woman’s work, which always lacks strength and sometimes inventiveness.»
Long time forgotten
- I believe this is typical of the mindset of that age. The prominent philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau said women were bereft of creativity, and women’s compositions were largely depreciated, says music researcher Lise K. Øzgen.
The assistant professor is an expert on women composers in the 18th and 19th century – a group of artists generally relegated to oblivion. Øzgen has produced two scientific papers on this subject. She has also been assigned to write a chapter on instrumental music during the baroque period for publisher Cappelen’s new coffee table book on music history.
- My interest in this subject started when I was given a CD with Hester Parks’s music. As I was listening to it, I asked myself: How come we are familiar with both mediocre and downright poor male composers from this period, while several hundreds of female composers are completely unknown, even among musicologists?
«Effeminate and sentimental»
Clara Schumann may have the most familiar name among earlier women composers. She possessed an unusually strong personality, and defied the strict conventions of her time, governing what women should and should not do. Not only did she marry Robert Schumann against her father’s will. She underwent eight pregnancies, all the while working as a composer and pianist. But even she criticised one of her own works with these words: «It sounded effeminate and sentimental.»
Schumann was just one of hundreds of female composers who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. According to Øzgen, nothing justifies the claim that hardly any one of them were up to standard musically. But the veil which covers this musical heritage is only recently being removed.
Young women during the time of study were actually encouraged to indulge themselves in singing and playing – as long as these activities took place in the domestic realm. To compose and perform one’s work publicly was quite another matter. Why was this so? One answer is the dominant perception of women’s natural proclivity to be ruled by emotions, and hence only able to experience music. In contrast, men were seen to be logical, analytical, able to curb their emotions – and therefore best suited to compose music. These attitudes may go a long way in explaining why women like Clara Schumann lacked faith in their own capabilities.
Charming instruments
Furthermore, both music conservatories and concert scenes were defined to be male arenas. One would have had to be born within a musical family even to be considered for admittance. Women composers also had a hard time getting their work published, or going on tours to perform it. Women’s arena was their home – even when it came to music. This perception informed both their choice of music and instruments. The most decorous thing to do was to fill your living room with subdued music, emanating from charming instruments like harpsichord, piano or harp.
The few women who dared to compose, had to allow for public criticism of their work. Had a woman created something of poor quality, her composition was usually referred to as «effeminate» and «weak». Works of excellence written by women were likely to be commended for their male qualities.
Prejudices from the past are easily dismissed, but why have so few of the many capable female composers been brought to light in our own time? Many of them were - in spite of all obstacles - well-known and respected in their age. Lise Øzgen would like to draw particular attention to Marianne Martinez and Maria Theresia von Paradis, both active at the end of the 18th century. von Paradis composed 31 piano sonatas, 12 piano concerts and one symphony, in addition to other works. Martinez studied together with Haydn and played with Mozart.
- I have also studied the British composer Maria Hester Park. She composed in the same style as Haydn, but her music is still not considered interesting enough to be published on CD, says the researcher.
Recording a CD
Neither has women gained their rightful place within music historiography. One reason for this may lie in historians’ preoccupation with «great» orchestral music, which - as we know – unfolded itself within men’s domain.
Chamber music, the genre in which women made their strongest mark, has not been held in equally high esteem. And until today, music history has revolved around composers regarded to be the best within defined styles and periods. Women, who mostly were excluded from receiving impulses from the outside, were rarely among those who broke down barriers and created new styles. Even so, they wrote a lot of splendid music which has largely been ignored.
As a contributor to Cappelen’s new music history, assistant professor Lise K. Øzgen now has a golden opportunity to right this wrong.
When she’s not doing research, Øzgen plays the old «woman’s instrument» – the harpsichord. She is now busy recording a CD containing compositions for this instrument, written precisely by these forgotten women.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MORE?
Lise Karin Øzgen, the Department of Music and Dance and the Network for Gender Research, the University of Stavanger, tel.: +47 51 83 40 35 / +47 91 66 24 38, e-mail: lise.k.ozgen@uis.no
Barbara who?
Here are five significant composers from various periods. How many of these have you heard of?
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179):
Mother superior, poet, mystic, teacher, adviser to the Pope and a number of heads of states, writer of visionary and scientific works. Well-known all over Europe.
Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677):
Italian composer and singer, famous in her time. Having published more than a hundred works, Strozzi was one of the most productive composers of secular, vocal music during the early barock period.
Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (1665-1729):
A most impressive woman composer, singer and harpsichord player at Lois XIV of France’s royal court. She was a child prodigy who, at the age of five, sang and played harpsichord for the Sun King. In 1678, La Guerre was referred to as «la merveille de notre siecle» – «the wonder of our century».
Clara Schumann (1819-1896):
German composer and a prime pianist of her day. She was the daughter of a music teacher, and allowed to go on her first tour when she was eleven. She stopped composing at 36, but continued to tour as a pianist until she was over 70.
Sofia Gubaidulina (b. 1931):
Highly rewarded Russian pianist, who has written music for a number of different orchestral line-ups. Her work was deemed unsuitable during the Soviet Era.
TEXT: Leiv Gunnar Lie
TRANSLATION: Astri Sivertsen
PHOTO: Elisabeth Tønnessen
