I don't think this thread has been done already. What do you consider your favorite female composers? A tough question for sure, but let's see what you pick.
My list:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Dorotheen Carwithen
Louise Farrenc
Elena Kats-Chernin
Elizabeth Maconchy
Dora Pejačević
Zara Levina
Amy Beach
Ruth Gipps
Hildegard of Bingen
Lili Boulanger
Alexis Alrich
Elizabeta Brusa
Kaija Saariaho
Caroline Shaw
Ruth Gipps
Elizabeth Maconchy
Libby larsen
Thea Musgrave
I regret to say I don't know the music of Sofia Gubaidulina at all but feel like I should.
There aren't that many female composers that 'speak' to me, but I do like the following a lot:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Ester Mägi
Ruth Crawford Seeger
I'd have problems ranking them in details,
but top tier would be:
- Saariaho
- Gubaidulina
second tier would be:
- Dlugoszewski
- Crawford-Seeger
- Bacewicz
- Narbutaite
third tier:
- L.Boulanger
- Chin
- Ustvolskaya (though some of her stuff is too brutal for me)
- Gloria Coates (not the perpetually-glissandi works)
I've got other stuff, including some mentioned here, also Maconchy and Musgrave (but not Carwithen, Shaw, Brusa and Alrich), however haven't listened that much.
Others are Jolas, Maric, Kapralova, Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Alma Mahler, Borissova-Ollas, Oliveros, Firsova, Pavlova, Bauckholt, Beamish, Sheng, Tailleferre, Chaminade, Neuwirth, Zechlin, Strozzi, etc.
I won't pretend to have extensive knowledge of many of the female composers that others might list, and I don't think I can comfortably reach ten without including those with whom I have only a passing awareness or slight familiarity. I do have some who I particularly enjoy and look forward to adding more skilled composers (who happen to be female):
Alla Pavlova - I've come to deeply appreciate the 8 recorded symphonies so far on Naxos, and the 2 on YouTube. Big 2021 discovery
Karin Rehnqvist - the more I hear her work, the more I enjoy it. 'On A Distant Shore' and 'Arktis, Arktis!' are great starting points
Gloria Coates - because of her SQs
Ruth Gipps - Symphonies 2 & 4 on Chandos, Seascape and Symphony 3 on Youtube, are all great
Sally Beamish - VC, The Singing, River...
Kaija Saariaho - I have her Works for Orchestra on Ondine, and often return to it
Of all of these, Alla Pavlova sees most airtime.
Alpha:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Victoria Borisova-Ollas
Cécile Chaminade
Anna Clyne
Louise Farrenc
Gabriela Lena Frank
Elena Kats-Chernin
Florence Price
Price's piano solo and chamber music is a significant improvement on the symphonies.
Caroline Shaw would have made this list in the past but I have soured on the achievement of her Partita with the realization that basically everything truly original in it was in fact not original but plagiarized from non-European musical traditions.
This thread will inspire me to revisit Libby Larsen, Missy Mazzoli, and Gabriela Montero, all of whom I have fond memories of but little of whose work I remember in detail.
Those who enjoy Dora Pejacevic must also hear Helena Munktell, a student of d'Indy who wrote fine chamber music and songs.
Nice lists. I just would like to add a name of Vítězslava Kaprálová.
I don't have a top 10, but I do keep my ears open.
Hildegard of Bingen
Kaija Saariaho (need to catch up there but heard some of her works with Karita Mattila on CD which I enjoyed)
A recording which has kept growing on me by a Nashville composer named Conni Ellisor: Blackberry Winter (She uses some traditional folk instruments in it). Really a lovely work! Please check it out...first youtube link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQaLuklN73Q
Bacewicz I'm working on...can't find much of her music to borrow. :(
What do others here think of Clara Schumann's works? I haven't heard them before.
Also, I'm checking out Jennifer Higdon's works.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 16, 2021, 01:42:45 PM
What do others here think of Clara Schumann's works? I haven't heard them before.
A lot of orchestras are programming her piano concerto now, but it does not show her at her best - she wrote it as a teenager, and it has a really interesting slow movement for piano, solo cello, and drums (!), but the rest is, well, teenage music student stuff. She did lots of lovely transcriptions of her husband's songs as an adult and generally her best work is in solo/chamber music.
I'm only familiar with sadly few:
Hildegard von Bingen
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Clara Schumann
Vítězslava Kaprálová
Sofia Gubaidulina
Ester Mägi
Everything I've heard from each of these composers has been excellent. Definitely need to hear more!
Chiara Margarita Cozzolani
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
Ruth Crawford Seeger
Doreen Carwithen
Joan Tower
Emma Lou Diemer
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Gabriela Lena Frank
Sarah Kirkland Snider
Jennifer Higdon
I can't say I have fully explored many of these composers, especially the contemporary composers, but from the premieres I have heard, my interest has been piqued.
Quote from: Brian on August 16, 2021, 01:54:47 PM
A lot of orchestras are programming her piano concerto now, but it does not show her at her best - she wrote it as a teenager, and it has a really interesting slow movement for piano, solo cello, and drums (!), but the rest is, well, teenage music student stuff. She did lots of lovely transcriptions of her husband's songs as an adult and generally her best work is in solo/chamber music.
Thanks for the info Brian!
PD
Not in order of preference:
Ina Boyle
Dobrinka Tabakova
Zara Levina
Nina Makarova
Judith Bailey
Ruth Gipps
Lili Boulanger
Doreen Carwithen
Grace Williams
Elizabeta Brusa
Quote from: Brian on August 16, 2021, 12:29:02 PM
Alpha:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Victoria Borisova-Ollas
Cécile Chaminade
Anna Clyne
Louise Farrenc
Gabriela Lena Frank
Elena Kats-Chernin
Florence Price
Price's piano solo and chamber music is a significant improvement on the symphonies.
Caroline Shaw would have made this list in the past but I have soured on the achievement of her Partita with the realization that basically everything truly original in it was in fact not original but plagiarized from non-European musical traditions.
This thread will inspire me to revisit Libby Larsen, Missy Mazzoli, and Gabriela Montero, all of whom I have fond memories of but little of whose work I remember in detail.
Those who enjoy Dora Pejacevic must also hear Helena Munktell, a student of d'Indy who wrote fine chamber music and songs.
+1 for Borisova-Ollas
I know taste differs - but any list that does not include Lili Boulanger is simply incomplete! She was one the great composers regardless of era, genre or gender.....
Random order...
Kaija Saariaho
Caroline Shaw
Missy Mazzoli
Meredith Monk
Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Onutė Narbutaitė
Alla Pavlova
Julia Wolfe
Dobrinka Tabakova
Some great lists in this thread. My choices today:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Unsuk Chin
Sofia Gubaidulina
Catherine Lamb
Missy Mazzoli
Olga Neuwirth
Pauline Oliveros
Kaija Saariaho
Rebecca Saunders
Kate Soper
--Bruce
Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 17, 2021, 11:53:32 AM
I know taste differs - but any list that does not include Lili Boulanger is simply incomplete! She was one the great composers regardless of era, genre or gender.....
Ahh! You're right! And even with quite a bit of chatter surrounding her lately, I missed her on my list. :'(
As penance for my egregious faux pas, I shall queue up my Boulanger Markevitch recording...
(https://ia903404.us.archive.org/5/items/mbid-75038496-57df-4eb4-ab27-6af8d4023281/mbid-75038496-57df-4eb4-ab27-6af8d4023281-29062392291.jpg)
So from you Lili Boulanger fans, which of her works are your favorites? And where do you suggest I start dipping my toes into?
PD
Quote from: Brewski on August 17, 2021, 12:42:04 PM
Olga Neuwirth
--Bruce
Being a David Lynch fan (see my avatar) I should know Neuwirth, or at least have listened to her
Lost Highway opera. Perhaps that will be my listening for tonight.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 18, 2021, 04:35:49 AM
So from you Lili Boulanger fans, which of her works are your favorites? And where do you suggest I start dipping my toes into?
PD
I'd recommend either of these CDs PD:
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 15, 2021, 07:13:01 PM
There aren't that many female composers that 'speak' to me, but I do like the following a lot:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Ester Mägi
Ruth Crawford Seeger
I'm definitely going to have to add Sofia Gubaidulina to this list now! Also, I need to become more familiar with Galina Ustvolskaya. I like her
Piano Concerto a lot, but I know this isn't representative of the composer she became later on.
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 19, 2021, 07:43:55 AM
I'm definitely going to have to add Sofia Gubaidulina to this list now! Also, I need to become more familiar with Galina Ustvolskaya. I like her Piano Concerto a lot, but I know this isn't representative of the composer she became later on.
I'm a little surprised you latched on to Gubaidulina. I acknowledge her work is good, but have never fully gotten into it.
Regarding Ustvolskaya, there are some excellent Youtube videos of live performances with Reinbert de Leeuw (conducting and piano). I'd watch a few before shelling out for recordings.
Quote from: T. D. on August 19, 2021, 07:55:27 AM
I'm a little surprised you latched on to Gubaidulina. I acknowledge her work is good, but have never fully gotten into it.
Regarding Ustvolskaya, there are some excellent Youtube videos of live performances with Reinbert de Leeuw (conducting and piano). I'd watch a few before shelling out for recordings.
Thanks. I'll definitely check more of her work out before buying anything.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 18, 2021, 04:35:49 AM
So from you Lili Boulanger fans, which of her works are your favorites? And where do you suggest I start dipping my toes into?
PD
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the Chandos recording of Faust et Helene. It should have been sensational - but its not - its really not! Bonaventura Bottone is SO SO SO the wrong voice. Check out this version on YouTube;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFLkarwfcCU
Markevitch is EXCELLENT in this repertoire - the recording is adequate technically, the orchestra murky, the soprano often horrible BUT the tenor has the perfect voice for this music so everyhting else is forgiven. After that check out this Markevitch disc which has appeared on various labels - EMI and Everest from memory;
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71kBLEYaBHL._AC_SX355_.jpg)(https://img.discogs.com/xge9nlVAnJJn4tm9g7qXg9m0BYg=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(webp):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2671344-1519592757-7283.jpeg.jpg)
The Pie Jesu - which she dictated to her sister on her death bed is heart breakingly beautiful with a very fragile child soprano singing.......
Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 19, 2021, 08:14:27 AM
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the Chandos recording of Faust et Helene. It should have been sensational - but its not - its really not! Bonaventura Bottone is SO SO SO the wrong voice. Check out this version on YouTube;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFLkarwfcCU
Markevitch is EXCELLENT in this repertoire - the recording is adequate technically, the orchestra murky, the soprano often horrible BUT the tenor has the perfect voice for this music so everyhting else is forgiven. After that check out this Markevitch disc which has appeared on various labels - EMI and Everest from memory;
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71kBLEYaBHL._AC_SX355_.jpg)(https://img.discogs.com/xge9nlVAnJJn4tm9g7qXg9m0BYg=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(webp):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2671344-1519592757-7283.jpeg.jpg)
The Pie Jesu - which she dictated to her sister on her death bed is heart breakingly beautiful with a very fragile child soprano singing.......
The Markevitch is unfortunately very expensive.
I was able to find a copy of the Chandos one which Jeffrey recommended, so I'll start there....after I work my way through a pile of other CDs acquired earlier! ::) But thank you RS for the added rec! :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 20, 2021, 03:19:43 AM
I was able to find a copy of the Chandos one which Jeffrey recommended, so I'll start there....after I work my way through a pile of other CDs acquired earlier! ::) But thank you RS for the added rec! :)
PD
Despite RS's reservations I hope that you enjoy the CD PD.
Quote from: T. D. on August 19, 2021, 07:55:27 AM
I'm a little surprised you latched on to Gubaidulina. I acknowledge her work is good, but have never fully gotten into it.
Regarding Ustvolskaya, there are some excellent Youtube videos of live performances with Reinbert de Leeuw (conducting and piano). I'd watch a few before shelling out for recordings.
Gubaidulina's piano works tend to be quite catchy, especially the Bis recording IMO. Most of her music requires some time getting acquainted with it. The early Piano Quintet is quite shostakovichian, but not typical. Her 3rd Violin Concerto 'Ich und Du' will see a premiere release later this year.
Ruth Gipps - probably my favourite composer ever
Grażyna Bacewicz
Lili Boulanger
Germaine Tailleferre
Elizabeth Maconchy
Dora Pejačević
Ina Boyle
Ester Mägi
Henriette Bosmans
Elena Kats-Chernin
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Elizabeth Maconchy
Alexandre du Bois
Katherine Balch
Rebecca Saunders
Linda Catlin Smith
Marti Epstein
Catherine Lamb
Lera Auerbach
Caroline Shaw
Liza Lim
Helena Tulve
Juliana Hall
Man, I'm always blown away by such lists.
My favorite woman composer, and she might just be my favorite in general, is Tine Surel Lange.
I'm always on the lookout for her work. :)
Quote from: Brian on August 16, 2021, 12:29:02 PMAlpha:
Grażyna Bacewicz
Victoria Borisova-Ollas
Cécile Chaminade
Anna Clyne
Louise Farrenc
Gabriela Lena Frank
Elena Kats-Chernin
Florence Price
Price's piano solo and chamber music is a significant improvement on the symphonies.
Caroline Shaw would have made this list in the past but I have soured on the achievement of her Partita with the realization that basically everything truly original in it was in fact not original but plagiarized from non-European musical traditions.
This thread will inspire me to revisit Libby Larsen, Missy Mazzoli, and Gabriela Montero, all of whom I have fond memories of but little of whose work I remember in detail.
Those who enjoy Dora Pejacevic must also hear Helena Munktell, a student of d'Indy who wrote fine chamber music and songs.
Now would add Lera Auerbach, Gabriela Ortiz, and Augusta Holmes, replacing Borisova-Ollas, Chaminade, and Price. Katherine Balch was recently commissioned to do music for the Dallas Symphony, so I need to look into her work. Also want to look up Tine Surel Lange and Lili Boulanger, of whom I've just heard the two short orchestral miniatures.
Feel the need to smuggle in some more names on closer listening, am willing to sacrifice some of those mentioned earlier. The first category are:
Ljubica Marić
Florence Price
Anne-Marie Ørbeck
Galina Ustvolskaya
Doreen Carwithen
Peggy Glanville-Hicks
Sofia Gubaidulina
Tera de Marez Oyens
Kaija Saariaho
Hanna Kulenty
Isidora Žebeljan
Roxanna Panufnik
Anna Sigríður Þorvaldsdóttir
Severe sacrifices are probably required from:
Henriette Bosmans
Dora Pejačević
Elena Kats-Chernin
errr ..
I do not think these composers have been mentioned. Apologies if they have.
Cindy McTee
Libby Larson
Ellen Taffe Zwilich*
Melinda Wagner*
Florence Price
Roxanna Panufnik
Jennifer Higdon*
Augusta Read Thomas
*Winner Pulitzer Prize
These are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. I will add if I can think of any others.
Quote from: San Antone on February 10, 2025, 04:07:26 PMAnna Thorvaldsdottir
Elizabeth Maconchy
Alexandre du Bois
Katherine Balch
Rebecca Saunders
Linda Catlin Smith
Marti Epstein
Catherine Lamb
Lera Auerbach
Caroline Shaw
Liza Lim
Helena Tulve
Juliana Hall
I forgot to include
Missy Mazzoli, a composer for whom I hold in high regard since I first heard her Vespers for a New Dark Age.