First Ladies of Music
Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
March 7 - May 16
First Ladies of Music is an 11-week series following the history of women in music from Ancient Greek Divas to Women of the Orchestra. Beginning in March, which is Womens’ History Month, the program will highlight the musical contributions of female performers and composers throughout history.
First Ladies of Music is hosted by internationally renowned pianist Virginia Eskin of Northeastern University.
PROGRAM ONE
Overview: What/Who we will be hearing
What was the function of music in earliest times?
Birthing/Midwives
Laments over death and war
Lullabies
Love/Madrigals
Entertainment - for royalty, to achieve position and rand; later, for the evening's
entertainment (rise of the middle class) - all educated persons are taught to play
an instrument and learn to sing.
What did it take to succeed?
Talent
Will/single-mindedness
Patronage/family
Luck/opportunity
Why do we know so little about women composers and what happened to them?
How was music used for functions, birthing, laments, special occasions and concerts?
Did women enjoy royal patronage? We'll get an overview of some of the music from
early and more contemporary music history to start our understanding of women in music.
Music by a variety of composers, from ancient times to today.
Music inspired by Sappho.
Hildegarde Von Bingen: Kyrie
Anne Boleyn: Canon, O Death, Rock Me to Sleep
Francesca Caccini: Selections from La Liberazione
Barbara Strozzi: Songs, Tradimento and Miei pensieri
Maria Martinez: Sinfonia (3 movements)
Fannie Mendelssohn: Song Without Words, Op. 5
Adeline Shepherd: Pickles and Peppers Rag
Can you hear gender in music?
PROGRAM TWO
Music of the Salon Period
During the Salon period - the early 19th century - women began to find ways to be
independent artists. All of the women on this program are powerhouse composers,
and for some, being female was not a hindrance. But for Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel,
the lack of family support -- particularly by her father and her famous brother, Felix -
prevented from reaching her full potential.
Louise Farrenc: Impromptu in B Minor for Piano; 1st mvt of Piano Quintet, Op. 30;
Finale of Piano Quintet, Op. 31
Fanny Mendelssohn: Organ Prelude in F; Chorus from Cantata, Lobgesang;
Demonstration of B Minor Song Without Words; 3rd mvt of Piano Trio
Pauline Viardot-Garcia: Three songs: Les filles de Cadix; Plainte d'Amour; Desespoir
Louise Viardot: 1st mvt of Spanish Piano Quartet
PROGRAM THREE
European Women Composers in the 19th Century
In the 1800s, women were still encouraged to "stay in their place," but this program
looks at four women composers who were successful professionally - Clara Schumann
was a superstar performer, but again, did not receive support as a composer from her
more famous husband, Robert. Carreno and Chaminade, both terrific pianists, weren't
held back because of their gender.
Clara Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, 3rd mvt
Teresa Carreno: Revue a Prague (piano); String Quartet in B Minor, 1st mvt
Agathe Backer-Grondahl: Waltz Caprice (piano)
Cecile Chaminade: Flute Concerto (last 3 sections); Trio in G Minor, last mvt
PROGRAM FOUR
Pioneer Pianists
Gina Bachauer, Dame Myra Hess and Helene Grimaud, are women who broke the
barrier, established new guidelines and waded into repertoire that had traditionally
been for men only. Once upon a time, the highest praise a woman pianist could
receive was "you sound like a man." Our three pianists struck into new territories.
Virginia Eskin demonstrates frequently from the keyboard some of the idiosyncratic
practices of each pianist.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4, 1st movement (Gina Bachauer, piano)
Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit. Sir John Gielgud recites the Bertrand poem and
Gina Bachauer plays Ondine.
Schubert: Sonata in A Major, Op. 120 (Dame Myra Hess, piano)
Bach: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring (Dame Myra Hess, piano)
Rachmaninov: Etude Tableau No. 9 (Helene Grimaud, piano)
Includes live interview excerpt with Brian Bell, official BSO interviewer,
talking to Grimaud about her deep interest in wolves
Bach: Prelude No. 6 (Helene Grimaud, piano)
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, last mvt (Helene Grimaud, piano)
PROGRAM FIVE
String and Percussion Performers
The focus of this program is on string and percussion. Our performers are Maud
Powell, Jacqueline Du Pre and Dame Evelyn Glennie. Powell was a superb violinist,
Du Pre and incredible cellist and Glennie is a true pioneer as a concert percussionist.
Powell gave the American premieres of some of the most important violin concertos
ever composed. Until Du Pre came onto the scene, there had only been male cellist
soloists - Jacqueline Du Pre brought glamour and superb technique to her performances.
Dame Evelyn Glennie, who happens to be deaf but is a true trailblazer, has more
commissions than any other performer today. To connect with the orchestra she feels
the vibrations through the floor by playing in her bare feet.
Amy Beach: Romance, Op. 23 (Joseph Silverstein, violin; Virginia Eskin piano)
Anon: Old Kentucky Home; Old Black Joe; Shine On; Kingdom Coming (Maud Powell, violin)
Dvorak: In the Woods (Jacqueline Du Pre, cello)
Elgar: Cello Concerto (Jacqueline Du Pre, cello)
Margaret Brouwer: Sizzle (Evelyn Glennie, percussion)
Milhaud: Concerto for Percussion (Evelyn Glennie, percussion)
Dougherty: Unidentified (Evelyn Glennie, percussion)
Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag (Evelyn Glennie, xylophone)
PROGRAM SIX
American Women - The Early Years (1880s-1920s)
First Ladies visits American women composers and listeners will hear more about
how personal lives and professional work were connected. Amy Beach and Margaret
Lang, both Boston based composers and performers, were successful in both areas
of their lives. Lang's Dramatic Overture was the first work by a woman, played by an
American orchestra. Now, women composers are up onstage, enjoying careers, and
beginning to achieve some recognition.
Margaret Ruthven Lang: Rhapsody (live performance by Virginia Eskin)
Song, In the Twilight
Mary Howe: Sand; Traits from Interlude Between, Two pieces for Flute and Piano
Carrie Jacobs-Bond: Four of her Half-Minute Songs; A Little Pink Rose
Amy Beach: Song, Ariette; Piano Quintet in F-Sharp Minor; Song, Dark is the Night;
Movements from Gaelic Symphony
PROGRAM SEVEN
The Conductors
Sarah Caldwell, Marin Alsop and Frieda Belinfante
Sarah Caldwell was the great impresaria of her time. She was the first woman to
conduct at the Metropolitan Opera. Marin Alsop was one of the first women to be
named as music director of a major orchestra - we will hear her speaking to the children
of Baltimore in the ORCHkids project. Frieda Belinfante was a Holocaust survivor and
eventually came to Hollywood, and we hear her amazing tale of her musical life.
Donizetti: Don Pasquale, Act 1, Scene 1, Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere (Beverly Sills)
Portion of 2nd Act of Don Pasquale (London Symphony Orchestra, Sarah
Caldwell, conductor)
Libby Larsen: 3rd movement from her Solo Symphony, Once Around (Colorado
Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, conductor)
Aaron Copland: Dance Symphony (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; Marin
Alsop, conductor)
Joan Tower: Fanfare No. 4 for the Uncommon Woman (Colorado Symphony Orchestra;
Marin Alsop, conductor)
Schubert: Symphony No. 8 (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor)
Schubert: Death and the Maiden (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor)
PROGRAM EIGHT
The Holocaust
Holocaust and suffering - on this program, listeners will hear some rare and rarely
performed music and stories from the women we chose. This program can be exceptionally
helpful to further knowledge on this powerful subject (April is Holocaust-awareness month).
We begin with the music of Alma Mahler, an under-appreciated composer who lived
before WWII.
Alma Mahler: Three Songs: Laue Sommernacht; Bei mir ist so Traut; Ich Wandle unter
Blume; Die stille Stadt; In meines Vaters Garten
Ilse Weber: Song, Wiegala
Viteslava Kapralova: Dubnova Preludia (April Preludes), for Piano; String Quartet
(four movements)
Sylvia Glickman: Songs: A Father's Farewell; Zol Zayn
PROGRAM NINE
Impressionism and Ragtime
This program starts with composers from the Impressionism period and moves to that
most American form, Ragtime. Listeners will hear the music of two Frenchwomen, Lili
Boulanger and Germaine Tailleferre. Then Virginia Eskin will explain and play Rags by
women. Listeners can learn from and enjoy the stories about their lives.
Composers 1: Impressionist
Lilli Boulanger: D'un Matin de Printemps (orchestra); Three Songs, Le Retour,
Attente, Reflets
Germaine Tailleferre: Rondo (3rd mvt) from Concertino for Harp and Orchestra;
Pastorale (piano)
Composers 2: American Ragtime
Florence Price: Movements from Mississippi River Suite; Silk Hat and
Walking Cane
May Aufderheide: Dusty Rag
Mary Watson: Dish Rag
Judith Laing Zaimont: Judy's Rag
Marjorie Merryman: Dog Day Rag
Adeline Shepherd: Pickles and Peppers Rag
PROGRAM TEN
Women of the 1930s
First ladies of Music will showcase the more intellectual composers of the early 1900s.
Women are beginning to travel and study abroad, and have their work played by major
American orchestras. Listeners can hear music by women that is modern, individualistic,
and very attractive. Many of these women were virtuoso performers as well as composers,
enjoying successful careers in both arenas.
Marian Bauer: Piano Prelude in D, Op. 15, No. 1 (Unpublished work in Library of Congress -
played live by Virginia Eskin); Violin Sonata, Fantasia quasi una sonata, 1st. mvt
Manna-Zucca: Intermezzo; Eili, Eili (Virginia Eskin)
Ruth Crawford Seeger: Suite for Four Strings and Piano, 3rd mvt, Mixed Accents for Piano
Rebecca Clarke: Prelude for Viola and Clarinet; Viola Sonata, 1st & 2nd mvts
PROGRAM ELEVEN
Women of the orchestra and women who have taken music into different realms,
music therapists, web designers and music librarians.
Doriot Anthony Dwyer
Martha Babcock
Julia Adams
Elisa Birdseye
Christine Vitale