Some important historical figures

In the next posts will follow quick portraits of some important women in the history of music, remained in the dark until recently.

I chose examples of women composers, because it has been one of the most difficult careers for a woman to achieve in the field of music. Also, I thought focusing on one craft would maybe help in having a smoother historical line.

The problems concerning women’s emancipation are of course similar in all fields, but gradually, towards the end of this timeline, being a woman performer stops being a problem. Clara Schumann is a very interesting example being a composer as well as a performer, who could compete with virtuosos like Franz Liszt. She had a real career as a soloist unlike Anna Maria Mozart, who had very much to stand behind her brother after their childhood.

Some of these women were closely related to illustrious composers, which encourages us to wonder whether it helped their recognition or not: were they standing in their shadow, or on the contrary, was it the only way they could come to public knowledge and still be remembered?

Manuscript of Clara Schumann, Cadenza for Mozart Piano Concerto in D minor