Read on Twitter
Searched for @GdnClassical's tweets that mention the phrase "where to start with her music."
0 results.
Twitter suggested it might be a typo.
(thread)
0 results.
Twitter suggested it might be a typo.
(thread)
Silly me.
So then I searched for @GdnClassical's tweets that mention the phrase "where to start with HIS music."
Found 19 tweets about the music of male composers.
Silly me! I had searched for "her music." Should have searched for "his music...."
So then I searched for @GdnClassical's tweets that mention the phrase "where to start with HIS music."
Found 19 tweets about the music of male composers.
Silly me! I had searched for "her music." Should have searched for "his music...."
It's a dangerous myth that women rarely compose(d) classical music.
It suggests that musical composition was and remains essentially a men's game.
That discourages women from pursuing composition.
That discourages musicians/audiences from taking women composers seriously.
It suggests that musical composition was and remains essentially a men's game.
That discourages women from pursuing composition.
That discourages musicians/audiences from taking women composers seriously.
The truth is, there were so many women composing classical music, one couldn't even count them all...
And Guardian Classical is not the only high-profile group promulgating this myth. It's ubiquitous.
How do we break this myth?
Well, I'll tell you how we DON'T break this myth.
And Guardian Classical is not the only high-profile group promulgating this myth. It's ubiquitous.
How do we break this myth?
Well, I'll tell you how we DON'T break this myth.
We don't break this myth simply by spotlighting a woman composer here and there.
That just reinforces the myth that there's ONLY a woman composer here and there.
That just reinforces the myth that there's ONLY a woman composer here and there.
We don't break this myth only by having women's music festivals.
That puts up a distinction between men's music and women's music, and allows us to easily view the latter as a very tiny phenomenon that requires special consideration... and that is easy to ignore, if one wishes.
That puts up a distinction between men's music and women's music, and allows us to easily view the latter as a very tiny phenomenon that requires special consideration... and that is easy to ignore, if one wishes.
We DO break this myth by acknowledging it for what it is: a myth.
We break this myth by acknowledging the truth that SO MANY WOMEN composed classical music (and still do!).
We break this myth by acknowledging the truth that SO MANY WOMEN composed classical music (and still do!).
We break this myth by asking ourselves: why don't we know about all these women composers who actually existed, despite the fact that they actually existed?
And we break this myth by asking ourselves: how can we get over our own ignorance, and let our newfound awareness of SO MANY WOMEN COMPOSERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY guide our creation of concert series, textbooks, journalism, lectures, and...... tweets?
Because the truth is, so much progress has been made to raise awareness of women composers, but..... it hasn't put a dent in the common wisdom that women rarely composed.
Celebrating a woman here and there is TOTALLY COMPATIBLE with the myth that women rarely composed.
Celebrating a woman here and there is TOTALLY COMPATIBLE with the myth that women rarely composed.
Here's a YouTube playlist of 51 symphonies by women: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLog6XR-PrEmAO5uDY8St7QVXNso072D-V
Here's a YouTube playlist of 61 piano concertos by women: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLog6XR-PrEmCaZtLKjFbvguUS352a5bit
Here's a list of 184 female composers born before 1800. (I stopped counting after that.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_composers_by_birth_date
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_composers_by_birth_date
Let me say that again.
Here's a list of 184 female composers born BEFORE 1800. (I stopped counting after that.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_composers_by_birth_date
Here's a list of 184 female composers born BEFORE 1800. (I stopped counting after that.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_composers_by_birth_date
It is a myth that women rarely composed classical music.
It is a myth that the repertoire ("sadly!") doesn't exist.
It is a myth that the repertoire ("sadly!") doesn't exist.
And it's a myth that the repertoire is difficult to find.
Literally, google "women classical composers" and you'll find a bunch of listicles (and the above-mentioned wiki listing 100s of names).
Search "women composers" on YouTube.
IMSLP has so many free scores.
Literally, google "women classical composers" and you'll find a bunch of listicles (and the above-mentioned wiki listing 100s of names).
Search "women composers" on YouTube.
IMSLP has so many free scores.
And, aside from those easy search methods, there are also websites to help you out.
@MTEW_com, for example, provides a plethora of music theory examples from classical music by women, organized by theory topic.
@MTEW_com, for example, provides a plethora of music theory examples from classical music by women, organized by theory topic.
Music theory teachers: "It's so hard to find examples by women! That's why we only use examples by men! It's not our fault women rarely composed!"
The internet: "NOPE. It's easy. Spend an afternoon at http://MusicTheoryExamplesByWomen.com . Easy peasy."
The internet: "NOPE. It's easy. Spend an afternoon at http://MusicTheoryExamplesByWomen.com . Easy peasy."
What are you going to do, today, to help crack this myth that women rarely compose(d)?
What are you going to do, today, not only to help other people see past this myth, but also..... to help yourself better see past this myth?
What are you going to do, today, not only to help other people see past this myth, but also..... to help yourself better see past this myth?
