Women Composers

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About this Collection

Introduction: Women Composers Collection

Introduction: Women Composers Collection

This sheet music collection was selected from the University of Michigans Women Composers Collection. The first sheet music collection completely dedicated to the work of women, it offers scholars of both musicology and womens studies a unique opportunity to explore the varied compositions of nineteenth and early twentieth century European and American women.

The collection features works by Amy Mary Cheney Beach the first woman composer whose work was performed by the New York Philharmonic Society in1892, Lili Boulanger the first woman to win the Prix de Rome in 1913, Nadia Boulanger, Pauline Viardot, Maria Malibran, Augusta Holmes, Ethel Smyth, Cécile Chaminade, Liza Lehmann, Teresa Del Riego and many others.

Reflecting the remarkable talent, versatility and perseverance of these composers, the collection includes vocal, keyboard and instrumental music. In addition to its interest to musicologists, the publication of sheet music, often including lavishly illustrated covers, offers a rich resource for gender studies and sociology. Scholars can review the changing status and concerns of women through both the genre and presentation of these works.