Are there any great women composers?

For centuries it was the custom to train young women to sing and play a musical instrument as an enhancement to 'femininity' in order to improve their chances of attracting suitable husbands. Women were encouraged to perform and to write music appropriate for the family salon, but they were in most cases forbidden to step outside that world.

Composers counted among the 'great' are typically those whose genius led them to tackle the forces of symphony or opera alongside their works for soloists and small ensembles. Historically, the ambitions of women have not been on such a grand scale. The number of women who dare to imagine themselves as symphonists, conductors or, dare we say, Presidents of the United States is only now starting to make a dent in the mass consciousness.

For The Feminine Musique, the very fact that well into the 20th Century the work of the foremost women composers has been concentrated in the world of chamber music means that we have a treasure trove of repertoire to explore along with our audience. We think you will be surprised and delighted to find that there is indeed GREAT music, written by the other 50% of humanity.